


Winter's Solstice

by Solara432



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Agents of SHIELD, Betrayal, F/M, Gen, Hydra (Marvel), It Might Be Dark But Dark For A Reason, Loyalty, Multi, Not Bromance, Not Romance, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Purely For Entertainment, Redemption, Religion, SHIELD, Trust, Trying To Make It As Much In The Same Cinematic Universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-26 21:52:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 39
Words: 86,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2667632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solara432/pseuds/Solara432
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the events of Captain America; The Winter Solider, but before Age Of Ultron, the events in the story are to help spur on the known characters of the marvel universe, but without interfering with them.<br/>The story focuses on the revenge and madness of Bucky Barnes, who, now with more memories, wishes to end the lives of all those who ruined his, like the Marvel Comic Universe of Bucky Barnes and the Winter Soldier, who eventually seeks redemption and become Captain America (spoiler) i wanted to expand the revenge and personal need for justice that Barnes would feel and want, especially when his mind is still all over the place, it is just too hard to miss out on writing about. I didn't want to make the main female character of Daisy a love interest or a side-kick but friend and equal, eventually.<br/>Originally wanted Daisy to be Daisy Johnson but Agents Of Shield stole it but I still kept the name Daisy. (Yes, i am a total nerd).<br/>Please leave any comments or nitpicking you wish.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This credits of awesomeness goes towards Marvel, all credits of absolute silliness goes towards myself and my over ambiguous imagination, hope people enjoy this and feel free to correct and criticise, it's all fair in fan fiction and sorry I am into my own smut personal smut, so I'd rather live it than write it...my bad.  
> Please leave any comment or nitpick.  
> Thank you.
> 
> Solstice : Latin scientific term solstitium. Sol- meaning “the sun” and Sistere meaning “to make stand."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter will lack much of the Winter Soldier but will give you a fair idea of what is occurring and who's involved. Apologises for spellings as i write.  
> 

**New York, Upper East Side.**

_ Saint Happy Hospital.  _

The Chief Physician Doctor Cook gave Daisy an unamused look.  
"You made the diagnosis? You-a-Nurse?"  
Clearing her throat and tilting her head thoughtfully to the side Daisy nodded slowly so that her bobbed black hair moved in wisps across her forehead. "Yes, i see could that Mr Lawson showed signs of appendicitis and acted quickly."  
The look on the Doctor's face was both angry and edgy, his jaw tight and he fidgeted in his chair, Daisy could read his thoughts even before he said anything, he was annoyed at her, very annoyed at her, annoyed at her for doing things way above what her position, and grade were, annoyed that she had made the call that only a doctor should make.  
"Miss Lankin…." He said edgily and slowly, straightening up in his chair behind his overly large desk, his desk which was devoid of any personal items, his palms rested on the table with the file notes of the patient they were discussing and perfectly polished name slate position 90* to his left capital letters. "You do realise that you made a medical decision that was not yours to make? You did not consult with any senior medical staff, you forged the signature of Doctor Andrews to have Mr Lawson operated on? You lied to the operating team that you were surgical trained and you were the operational nurse who helped to stabilise Mr Lawson when he went into cardiac arrest?"  
"Yes." Daisy replied, with a small smile on her face, keeping her head upright and looking him straight into his eyes.  
The muscles on The Chief Physician twitched on his cheek, he stared at Daisy with shock. "Do you realise that this is against the law?"  
""Well….." Daisy started, ready to let rip at the Chief Physician, tell him a few home truths, to finally tell him the truth about her medical knowledge, to tell him he was a the most incompetent Doctor she had known, that his running of the hospital and his inability manage anything medical was an insult to the medical institution itself in American and international.  
However Daisy was stopped my the door of office flying opening and a man walking in.  
"Okay, sorry I'm late, traffic was a nightmare, knew i should of taken the subway but Stark offered me the chance to try his new jazzed up lotus and i couldn't refuse!" The Chief Physician and Daisy looked to see a suited Bruce Banner coming into the office and closing the door behind him. "What did i miss?"  
"Bruce!" Daisy said surprised at seeing him, standing up she hugged the older dark haired man, her tiny frame being dwarfed next his.  
"Hi Kid." He smiled hugging her back.  
"Excuse me…?" Came the voice of the Chief Physician from behind his desk, looking confused at the two as they embraced. "What are you doing here? And who are you"  
With a smile showing his perfect white teeth Banner clapped his hands together and looked at the Physician. "Doctor Banner," He said leaning over to shake The Chief Physician's hand. "Your Doctor Cook aren't you? I'm here to check on our star nurse of course!"

Pulling out of the hand shake he turned to Daisy and grinned at her. "Daisy told me Mr Lawson has made a full recovery and he's going to start swing dance classes as soon as he's fully healed!"  
"Sw-ing Da-nce." The Chief Physician stuttered. "Excuse me, what are you talking about and what jurisdiction do you have being here?”

Speaking a slow patronising voice Banner said. “Doctor, I hate to be rude but you do know that I am Doctor Bruce Banner, close personally friend of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts?”

“Tony Stark?” The Chief Physician said nervously. 

”Yeah, you know the guys that owns this hospital that they built after New York and the alien invasion that happened.” Banner said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Oooh.” Doctor Cook said, his eyes bulging out of his head.

“Yeah, well.” Banner continued, looking over at Daisy. “I just wanted to clear all this up about Miss Lankin.”

“She diagnosed a man without senior-“ Doctor Cook started.

“I gave her the authority.” Doctor Banner shot in firmly. “I gave her the authority.”  
The Chief Physician mouth opened, but no words came out, just a quick inhalation, stumped forwards.  
"So all's good?!" Banner said with another big toothy smile.

Doctor Cook started to fiddle with the notes and reports on his desk, his face was mixture of confusion and nerves. “Yes, I suppose, but i’ll need you to sign-“

“Okay, send it to Starks Tower…I mean The Avengers tower and i’ll have it signed ASAP.” Banner replied, looking at Daisy and nodding his head to the door, to indicating the move to look the office. 

Standing where she was Daisy felt extremely grateful to Banner but extremely annoyed, he was lying and she didn’t like people lying for her.  
"Okay, so we'll be off then." Banner said, stepping away from the desk to allow Daisy to move. "Thanks for the understanding Doctor Cook, you know how it is, have to keep things a on low profile when it comes to my name, media attention and all that."  
Both Daisy and Banner started towards the door, The Chief Physician still fiddling with his notes, he was trying to read through to try and find something to quiz them about but before he could find it both Daisy and Banner were out the door and leaving the hospital.

Walking down the hospital corridor, towards the elevator, Daisy said nothing, she didn’t want to say anything yet because she knew deep down what she had done was wrong and dangerous but couldn’t help, the problem was she knew that Banner himself couldn’t judge her actions, in her shoes he would have done a similar thing.

When inside the elevator Daisy turned to Banner and said. “Sorry Bruce…I messed up I know.”

Exhaling Bruce gave her a weak understanding smile.

“I know you hate leaving the Tower.” Daisy said. “And i know you hate name dropping Tony Starks.”

Giving his friend a smirk Bruce replied. “This is the first and last time I’m doing that.” Straightening his tie and pushing the button for the ground floor. “Next time I’m name dropping Thor.”

Both chuckled lightly but deep down, she and Banner knew that there was more to be said when they left the building.

"Daisy, you realise how close that was don't you?" Banner said as they got into the back of black lotus that Banner had parked into hospital basement car park, the shiny and smell of the newness of the vehicle was almost overwhelming to both Daisy and Banner, even after working with/for/near Stark industries some things still surprised both of them.

With a look that basically read she said nothing in response.  
"It'll get better." Banner told her, putting a friendly hand on her shoulder. "Give it time and you'll get used to things, but for now...please don't bring more attention to yourself. Its still dangerous out there."  
"I know Bruce." Daisy replied back, her voice tired and sad.  
Genuiely a man of few words that weren't science or medicine Banner exhaled and said. "This isn't forever Daise...few more months and you'll be able to do the work you want, back where you want but for now...just hang in there."  
Looking out into the underground car park of the Hospital Daisy said. "I'm being a spoilt brat i know and you've been a good friend helping me and i'm letting you down."  Daisy's face become sad and drawn, she knew if anyone was going to understand and know why she did it, it would be Banner, the man had known her for years, they had worked with her in Indian and African together under some of the worst conditions, pulling together the smallest amount of medicine and medical equipment they had to help those that needed the help in the poorest communities. Banner knew her and he knew the current situation was killing her.  
"You never let me down Daise, not once." Banner replied firmly.  
Turning back to face him, she gave a weak smile.

Banner sighed. "I know its hard, but this is to protect you, if you want to stay in the medical field you have to keep a low profile. Its worrying enough you wouldn't change your first name, but things like this…you can't do it again, it too risky. I can't keep coming over and sweet talking Cook."  
"I'm sorry Bruce….it won't happen again." She said turning to face him, a small sting of tears in the bottom of her eyes.  
Daisy bite her lip but said no more, if it was anyone else she would make a quick smart retort but she couldn't, not to Banner, not for worry about getting him angry, but for the fact that her situation was nothing to compared to his, he was The Hulk and Doctor Bruce Banner, a man bound and condemned by his medical research, never to be the same as what he was, all because he wanted to help people by finding cures for incurable diseases that dumbfound all. Banner's situation was forever, he was the Hulk and Banner all at once, the only thing he could do was what Daisy was doing herself, try to help people and work as if everything was normal everyday.  
Giving her shoulder a squeeze Banner nodded before he started the car, nothing more was said between the two of them, for both Daisy Pierce and Bruce Banner, there was nothing they could say to each other that they didn't already know the other was thinking.

 

**_New York, Brooklyn._ **

It was 11pm when Daisy arrived back to her apartment, the place she refused to call home and refused to personalise  
The place she slept, washed and ate, this was not in anyway a home. It was an apartment in the lower east side that gave her good subway connections to the hospital where she, still, worked, an apartment with a lovely view from her bedroom window of the wall of the red brick wall to the building next door, a living room illuminated by the neon light of the Chinese restaurant downstairs, for all wants and purposes, it serves it's purpose and that was all Daisy needed.  
When Banner had given her the keys and directions Daisy had felt a slight glimmer of hope, she was getting her life back, she would have her own space again, privacy and independence…but that vanished when she walked into the apartment. Though she was grateful for it, it really made her heart sink and that feeling returned every time she entered back into the apartment, the colour and the smell were all un-homely and unwelcoming to her, she just couldn't make it her home, she-just-could-not.  
In all her years of traveling, working as a foreign aid doctor she had been used to being without a real home, she had lived out of suitcases and duffel bags, she had slept on floors for months, she would share a room with up to 11 other people at a time, but out of those times she had always felt happy and fulfilled, she was doing good work, helping people, making a difference, seeing wonderful people daily, learning so much, having somewhere to sleep was not an issue. But now…she just empty and not homeless but with a job and apartment.  
Daisy tried to not think about her real home, the home she had grown up in, the one where her father was there, where it was covered in some of the most amazing art that he had collected from his travels with her mother, with Daisy and Daisy's older sister Caitlin. It's warmth and the sound of music, because her father wouldn't be without music, whether it be from his record player or the grand piano he had restored and rescued from Germany, it was a real home, it was definition of what a home should be.  
Lost in her sad thoughts for the past and her sad thoughts of her present, Daisy walked into her apartment, not bothering to switch on the lights, letting the red and blue illumination of the Chinese restaurant light allow her to see through to the dinning table where she placed her keys and her bag.  
Letting out a sign, Daisy looked to the right where her window was open and letting the cold December night wind blow into her apartment and to shake her white wispy curtains slightly.  
A frown formed on Daisy's face, she never left her window open, she always closed her windows, it was something she always did before she left anywhere where she lived, leaving windows open was a no-no, not just because of burglars but from insects, bugs and stray cats who would see it as an open invite to a party.  
Taking one step towards the window Daisy stopped, she realised two things, the window being open meant only one thing, someone had gotten in and was most likely still there.  
Before Daisy could so anything her left arm was pulled behind her back and she was spun around and forcefully shoved against the wall behind with a thud, causing her to partially bang the front of her head. Keeping her arms behind her back, the person who had shoved her took hold of her other arm and criss cross them together and held them there. For a moment Daisy felt cold metal against her skin, she screamed thinking it was either a knife or gun, but she realised what it was when a metal hand covered her mouth and stopped another scream from coming out of her mouth.  
"Do-not-scream-or-say-anyting." A male voice breathed closely into her ear, their breath filling her earlobe and making her shudder.  
Nooooo, Daisy thought desperately, he's come for him and he's going to kill me to get revenge for my Father.  
Daisy Pierce gave a muffled whimper beneath his metal hand, her eyes slowly starting to water with fear and terror, she knew that was start of everything she had been fearing for these months now, since the day she learnt the truth and the day her world shattered in front of her, never to be the same again.

**One year earlier**

_**Washington Dulles Airport** _

The taste inside her mouth made her want to gag, what was worse was the taste was actually from her own mouth and she had that taste in her mouth for 12 hrs and couldn't do anything until she could get to her suitcase and brush her teeth.  
Mentally rolling her eyes Daisy thought how ridiculous first world problems were, two week ago she was more concerned if she would have enough medicine to vaccinate the village she was in and have enough supplies so that she could stay and monitor everyone, now she was standing in Washington Dulles airport in the endless queue to get her suitcase. Daisy was under no illusion this was going to be a long wait, the queue ahead of her stretched on for a good long length and the sense of frustration and annoyance amongst the passengers was thick in the air. Getting ready for the wait she was about to have, Daisy slumped her weight on to her right hip and pulled her backpack further up her arm.  
"Hey, how you doing slick?" Said a familiar voice from beside her.  
A small smile draw on to her face, she knew that voice, she knew that voice very well. "Rumlow." Turning to her right she came face to face with Brock Rumlow, dressed head to toe in black, his dark hair slick back and a cheeky smile on his face.  
"The one and the only." He replied.  
"How long has it been?" Daisy said. "I missed you last time i was in here and that was almost 2years ago!"  
Towering over her, he put his hands in his jeans pockets and pulled a pretend thinking face, tilting his head sideways. "Well, last time i saw you, you were going through the green head phrase and wearing green makeup."  
"Awww my pre med school phrase, i remember it well." Daisy smiled.  
Straightening his posture Rumlow smiled. "But i would still recognise you anywhere kid."  
"Thanks." She said scrunching her nose up at him.  
It had been a long time for the two, at one point she had seen Rumlow quite a lot, nearly everyday, he had been apart of the security team when her father went on international meetings or tours, he had long been a close member of Alexander Pierce's trusted circle, that, over time, Daisy had seen to get smaller and smaller as she and her sister grew older. Rumlow, from what she had heard was now a elite member of shield, his skills and ability were used for many top-secret missions in the field. From the little Daisy knew of Rumlow now, he was far from being the fawning creature that had lusted after her sister Caitlin for years, obeying whatever her sister wanted and needed, even though it was beneath him.  
Looking up head to long line of passengers all waiting for the slow process of getting their bags and security checks started and done, Rumlow gave an exaggerated frown. "You are going to be here for a while girl, hope you packed some snacks or have a book to read."  
Daisy eyed up Rumlow, he was a good 2 foot taller than her, even if she attempted to wear anything heeled, she knew he was up to something. "Yeah, i might need a blanket or snuggly to keep me cosy too."  
"Its shame." Rumlow said, still eyeing the line.  
"Oh?"  
"Yeah." Rumlow smiled, turning to her. "You're gonna miss all that fun, cause i got your bags in the car out the front ready to go."  
"What?" Daisy frowned at him. "But i haven't…"  
"All sorted kid, was sorted for you as soon as that plane hit the tarmac." Rumlow smiled. "All you gotta do, is take my arm and let me escort you to your chariot and we're back your Dad's within the hour. How's that sound?"  
Ordinarily Daisy hated it when her father's shield connections changed things for her, how she was given special treatment, special attention, kissed up to specially by people because who her father, and sister were, but on this occasion and after a 16hr flight, with delays, Daisy didn't want to argue or protest, she wanted to get home, to her proper home, brush her teeth, have a long bath, a quick nap and get ready for having a nice meal with her father that evening.  
First world issues. Daisy thought as she slipped her arm into Rumlow's as if she was really being escorted to a chariot like a princess; Really are so ridiculous when you think about it.

 ** _Washington_**.

Opening the door Renata throw a bear hug onto Daisy, causing her to drop her backpack.  
"Oh child, look at you, you're all skin and bones!" The housekeep exclaimed giving Daisy a squeeze and taking the breath out of her.  
There were few people in the world that Daisy allowed to hug her in such a way and one of them was Renata, the family housekeeper for the last 19years, Renata Meiser, the tall and willowy sweet natured, quick witted and loyal housekeeper that long ago Daisy had come to consider more friend than an employee of her father. Renata could have left her father's employment years ago but had stayed, since the death of Daisy mother Renata had taken charge as caretaker of the house and caretaker of Alexander Pierce, and for all wants and purposes the hours Renata kept and the days she worked all worked for both Alexander Pierce and Renata.  
As firm and as fast as the hug had come Renata let go of Daisy and stood up straight to look more closely at her. Her face become like the gentle but firm schoolmarm that Daisy had grown up with, over the years Daisy had learnt the emotions Renata expressions through the lifting of her eyebrows, to the twist of lips. Putting her wrists together she looked Daisy up and more thoroughly, taking in her small form.  
"Oy Vey….!" Renata said shaking her. "You've lost weight and you look so pale! Didn't you come from India?"  
"It was Africa, Balabusta." Daisy smiled.  
As if her heart had been pulled Renata went in for another hug with Daisy, this time nearly knocking her off her feet.  
Enjoying the attention Daisy chuckled, being slightly pulled into Renata's generous bosom like a new born babe, Renata had probably been without hugs like this for awhile, her own children had grown up and moved away long ago, and from what Daisy knew, were too busy with their own lives, never one to say a bad thing about a person when they weren't there (she could do it very well when that person was there) Renata accepted that her children were wall grown up and gone, but Daisy, Renata's little Dalia, she was the child who had lost her mother when she was just a baby, was very special to her and held a place in her heart.  
"Now now Renata." Came a gentle voice from behind Renata. "Stop taking all the hugs and share my little girl will you."  
With a smile Daisy pulled gently pulled away from Renata to see the tall figure of her father. Standing before her in jeans and a hoodie, Alexander Pierce, Head Of The World Security Council, former leading member of Shield, Nobel Prize nominee, senior governing member of the international peace core, Daisy Pierce's father, stood grinning and looking ready for a hug.  
"Awwww dad!" Daisy found herself running over to her Dad for a hug like she had done when she had come back from summer camp or he had been away on a long mission. Pierce spread out his arms and embraced his tiny dark haired daughter, holding on to her and kissing her forehead like she was still a child.  
"My baby girl." Alexander Pierce said happily within their embrace. The look on his face was of absolute joy, he seemed so at peace holding her. Both father and daughter held on to each other, Daisy feeling as if she was indeed a baby girl in her father's arms.  
Renata smiled at the two, there were very few moments that Renata witnessed her employer happy, over the years, as Daisy had become an adult, Pierce threw himself more into his work, rarely being home and usually in his office when he was home. Over the next few days Renata knew that Pierce was going to be doing a lot less work and would be spending more time with his daughter. Turning her head to her right, a framed picture stood of Alexander Pierce, Daisy Pierce and Caitlin Pierce, all smiling, both daughters standing next to their father on either side in a hug, looking as if their was a shared joke between them as they posed for the picture, the picture was taken over ten years by Renata herself. Renata smiled sadly at it, thinking if only Caitlin was…no, Renata stopped her thoughts, Caitlin was what she was, that was that.  
Her thought was broken by the tanned dark haired presence of Brock Rumlow moving past her and coming through the door carrying a orange suitcase with one hand as if it weighed nothing.  
Looking over his daughter's head, Pierce saw Rumlow and came out of his embrace with Daisy.  
"Sir." Rumlow nodded respectfully. "Would you like me to take Daisy's bag to her room?"  
"No." Renata said firmly to him, her eyes fixed on him untrustingly. "I will take it up to her room, mister Rumlow, no need for you to go up there."  
"Thank you Rumlow.' Pierce said in a professional tone of gratitude, "for picking up my daughter and bring her home."  
Nodding respectfully Rumlow replied. "No problem Sir, happy to help." With a quick smile at Daisy Rumlow place her suitcase down and turned towards the door. He came face to face with Renata, who's lips were pressed into a thin line as she glared at him. Seeing that Renata disliked him Rumlow gave her a toothy smile and winked at her he left, leaving Renata with a shocked expression and looking ready to curse in yiddish to him.

**_Potomac Village, Washington_ **

Everything about the restaurant was perfect, from the way every detail was seen to, the tinted gold napkins matching the tinted gold roses on the table (roses that were unscented in order to not put off the diners and more than likely grown genetically for their look and their scentlessness ), the golden details of the edging of the wine flutes matching the delicate patterns of the dinning cloths on the table, how everything was laid out perfectly and precisely, all cutlery engraved with gold patterns on the handles, with each table spaced apart in a perfect circle to match the circler room where a pianist played in the centre of the room behind a grand golden piano. The golden lighting of the room made everything glow, casking no shadows and allowing the metal flowers and birds that were suspended from the ceiling by thin metal beams giving the illusion that they were floating above them.  
Looking up at the ceiling Daisy was in awe, her father had said it was a restaurant she would enjoy and indeed she felt enchanted and captivated, it was elegant but though slightly gordy, it caught her imagination with its overly decorative style, she couldn't help but smirk as she thought that it was as if King Midas had taken up decorating as a side business, she bite her tongue, not wanting to cause insult to her father, knowing he was happy to be spending the evening with her dining in the golden restaurant, taking full advantage of her willingness to allow her father to spoil her and lavish grandness on her.  
"This definitely beats a Frankie's and Benny's Dad." Daisy grinned at her father as she sat up straighter in her chair, trying desperately to not put her elbows on the table.  
"We could always go there afterwards to gets Sundae if you want Daise." Alexander Pierce smiled as he unfolded his napkin to put onto his lap. "Like Renata said, you're skin and bone and you need feeding you."  
Shaking her head and rolling her eyes Daisy smiled back. "If it was up to Renata i would be eating for the next few weeks non-stop, and she would still say i needed more feeding."  
"Hmmm." Pierce granted. "Its the other way around with me, she constantly trying to get me to eat healthy, she hides all the sweet things i get and replaces it without a word. I'm telling you, if you was a member of the council, there would be a lot less talking and a lot more doing."  
Daisy grinned, she loved Renata more knowing she was still on her health fight with her father, the long standing battle was endearing to Daisy, knowing that Renata was a stalwart figure that not even the great Alexander Pierce would argue with. "Well looks like i'll be the only one having that Sundae then."  
Pierce was about to protest teasingly to his daughter about how that was bad negotiating when the restaurant maitre stood beside him, hands behind his back. "Excuse me sir." He said in a crisp English accent.  
"Yes?" Pierce replied sharply looking him up and down with curiosity, annoyed at being bothered by him.  
"There is a man by the name of Jasper Sitwell who said he wishes to talk with you, he said it was urgent and apologises for the inconvenience." The Maitre said, he was stood like a soldier, all aspects of him polished and perfect, even down to his shiny black shoes.  
The look on Pierce's face was mixture of anger, annoyance with frustration. Daisy had the feeling that this was out of the ordinary, an agent to contact her father by coming to wherever he was and seek him out in public was far from the norm, though having a father who was part of organisation that went by the acronym Shield but was The Strategic Homeland Homeland Interventtion, Enformement and Logistics Division, that dealt with a very mixed bags of problems in the world, from terrorist, aliens, alien terrorist and loons with overly ambitious ideas about ruling the world, but years of knowledge told Daisy that her father wasn't pleased with what happening and it was far from out of his control, so she soothed him by smiling. "Dad, you know it must be important."  
Looking at his daughter Pierce felt a ping of guilt, his youngest daughter was used to her father going off for meeting and talks at short notice, that to her this was normal. "Sorry honey. I'll see what he wants and get Fury to sort it, i'm sure its nothing."  
Standing up from the table Pierce place his napkin on the table and followed the maitre, who walked straight shoulder and military style ahead of him. Pierce turned his head to look at his daughter as he walked away, he saw a faint look of sadness on her face, this caused pain to sting into Pierce, he was going to rage at Sitwell if that was not important, he had left instructions that he was not to be disturbed this evening and tomorrow, he had only left Shield headquarter a few hours ago to be home on time to see Daisy return, he couldn't imagine anything happening between now and then that could need his attention, maybe meltdown but even though that couldn't happen in a few hours.  
Standing by the entrance of the restaurant a nervous and Sitwell stood, a small amount of sweat on his forehead that he was quickly wiping away with a tissue as Pierce neared him. Trying to compose himself before Pierce reached him, Sitwell fidgeted with his tie and stood straighter. He opened his mouth to apologise to Pierce but was stopped by his saying firmly. "You better have a damn good reason for being here Sitwell because if you haven't i'm putting you clean up duty for the next 2 years."  
"Sir." Sitwell replied quickly. "I'm sorry but this couldn't wait. We need to start phrase 2 and i need to clear it with you, i was given orders by Caitlin Pierce that i was to inform you immediately of the progress of Project Jettison and the need to enter into phrase two, sir."  
Looking behind himself, Pierce stepped himself towards the wall and leant closer into Sitwell to ask impatiently."Well, what is the progress?"  
"Phrase one has succeed all expectations and 100% success in destroying the last remains of the russian technology." Sitwell told Pierce in a quitter tone. "All those involved have been wiped from existence, their families and those that took part it. There's no evidence left of the alien technology we gave them to develop, nothing."  
Nodding pleased but without a shred of emotion emotion Pierce said evenly. "Good. Start Phrase two, cause the virus to wipe out 44% of the Eastern part of Russian and make all evidence of the virus point to Southern Russian, the blockade of aid coming through is to be blamed on Southern Russian."  
"Yes sir." Sitwell answered.  
"I want a total media black out, no aid, no help, no knowledge of the virus is to be known to the West. I want Russian internally fighting each other within the week." Pierce said firming.  
"Sir? " Sitwell nodded. "Do you want me to tell…"  
"My daughter will make her own way home Sitwell, she's the best Hydra operative out there." Pierce told him firmly.  
"Or course." Sitwell nodded, the sweat on his forehead beginning to reform.  
"Anything else?" Pierce said firmly.  
"No sir." Jasper Sitwell said with a tint of shakiness about himself. He could usually handle himself very well in front of Pierce, he was the man who had chosen him to join Hydra, he respected and admired Pierce, but he knew disturbing him that evening was like stepping into the line of fire.  
"Good." Pierce said and begun walking back to his table. Sitwell exhaled the tension, thinking to himself it had gone better then he'd hoped, disturbing Pierce and his youngest daughter in that restaurant had add almost 10years to his life. Walking past the Maitre Pierce stopped and place $100 note into his palm and whispered into his ear. "Hail Hydra." With which the maitre nodded and whispered back under his breath "Hail Hydra."  
Back at the table Pierce found his daughter watching as the restaurant's violinist stood next to her playing to her as she smiled embarrassedly but happily to him. Taking his seat he looked at the violinist's face, who in turn looked to Pierce and nodded and begun to step away still playing his music.  
Just then both their starters arrived and were placed in front of them where the wine was poured into their golden edged wine flutes. Pierce smiled and he looked up at the smiling, see something that only those in the know would see, the formation of flowers and birds in the metal actually made a shape, a shape that to the eye was invisible even when in the know, but when looked closely and with more awareness the distinctive shape of the Hydra symbol was seen, with its skeleton head and 6 tentacles across the circler ceiling across the room.  
Daisy smiled at her father as he marvelled at the metals flowers and birds above their heads. She did love just how at peace he looked then, content with whatever had occurred in his mini meeting and being in the restaurant him her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Solara432
> 
> SONGS TO READ WITH:   
> Lorn - Acid Ruin   
> Virgin - Manchester Orchestra  
> Never - Terranova   
> Passive - Pefect Circle   
> H - Tool  
> Exile - Modestep  
> Vengeance - Zack Hemsey  
> The Kill - 30 Seconds To Mars  
> Ritual Spirit - Massive Attack  
> Blood On My Name - The Wright Brother  
> Space Precious Time- KXP  
> Broken - UNKLE  
> Tili Tili Bom.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gradually trying to expend the history of the back story surrounding the characters (known and created), jumping back and forth in the progress, i do have a plan of what will happen, i swear.  
> Starting stories is like when you first start dancing at a party, you feel really uncomfortable but eventually you cut lose and everything flows (or so it appears to your own mind's eye, but you look like a twit to everyone else but sod it, it's fun)  
> Hope anyone reading is enjoying it ...or feel mildly entertained albeit just mildly.

_**New York, Brooklyn.** _

Doing what she was told Daisy did not scream or say anything, she knew better then to risk her own life for the vain hope that someone would help or that any questions she asked would be answered.  
Pulling her away from the wall the metal armed man kept his hand over her mouth and snapped at her to walk. Not knowing what was happening Daisy moved herself in stumbling shuffles ahead. The metal armed man walked silently behind her, keeping his grip on her cross-overed arms and continuing to cover her mouth. Daisy realised she was being shoved towards the bedroom of her apartment, she stood dead in her tracks, a sick feeling of dread filling her stomach.  
"I didn't say stop!" The man hissed at her. "Move!" He shoved her through the door, almost causing her to fell over. The bedroom of the apartment was small, only with a clothes rail, a bed and a side table. Daisy realised the light on the side table was switched on and her clothes were thrown all over the bed.  
"Pack some clothes, warm ones." The metal armed man told her, letting go of her and giving her another shove towards the bed. He leant down and picked up a large black travel bag from the floor and threw it onto the bed on top of all her clothes. "Put them in there. You have 5mins."  
Twisting herself around to face him she started "But…I…." before stopping herself, as a look of disgust and anger flew on to his face that she could now fully see.  
"I told you do not to talk!" He hissed taking a step towards her, he grabbed her throat with his metal hand, a clicking sound coming from it as he did so, her head was pushed upwards, almost lifting her off the ground as he did so. "You do not talk to me and you do exactly what i say. Clear?"  
The swiftness of his actions, the power and the coldness she felt from his metal grip took the breath out of Daisy so that she could only manage a garbled noise from her throat that resembled a 'yes'. From her left eye a tear rolled down her cheek and she found herself shaking.  
His face looked disgusted at her, his striking blue eyes burning at her and an angry grunt of an exhalation came from him as he released her for the second time. "4mins. Start!"  
Taking in a thankfully breath Daisy put her palms on her chest, as if guarding herself, she found herself shaking and feeling faint. She was ready to give into that feeling and let the white feeling of collapse engulf her, but she saw his angry face before her, he was consumed with it and with frustration, his body was tense and firm, his arms by his side, fists held clenched, his square jaw was solid, his brow was stitched low and his eye narrow and foreboding at her, Daisy didn't doubt for a second he could easily kill her if she didn't obey, she turned and randomly threw things into the bag, not caring what they were, grabbing with shaking hands and throwing it.  
She rubbed her cheek once, to stop the herself crying and said nothing, she didn't dare risk doing anything.  
Not entirely sure what was in the bag, she went to put something else in, when the metal arm man grabbed the strap of the bag, throwing it over his shoulder and pulled her upper arm and begun walking her out.  
Still shaky and Daisy obeyed, all compulsion to try to run and scream vanished, she knew it would be useless, there was no way she could escape, she hadn't escaped before, circumstance had caused him to stop, not because she had succeed in escaping him.  
Heading towards the door, the man reached his metal arm to grab a gun on the table where Daisy had unknowingly placed her keys, the black automatic pistol was placed into a hostler around his shoulder near Daisy. She scanned the gun and his face quickly from the corner of her eye as he did so. Seeing her attention to him he stopped and leant down to her and whispered. "I don't need this to kill you, i can kill you with my human hand in 0.3 seconds if i want, remember that Princess."  
Not looking him she swallowed and had the urge to throw up then and there, she knew that he was telling the truth and she knew that his using them name was anything but good also.  
Still leaning into her, again his breath on her earlobe, he reached to unlock the door and open it.  
"We go outside, we turn to the right walk 10 yards to a black van outside, we get in, you say and do nothing." He told her firmly and slowly.  
The apartment door opened and the stairway to the exist was before them, the light from the hallway fell into the room behind her, illuminating and stinging her teary eyes. For the first time she got a clear look at his face from the close angle of where his face was to her's, he was scared, stubble on his face that was edging down his neck, his hair was escaping from where it had been pushed behind his ears, dark and wavy longer than hers.  
A memory flashed in her mind, from her point of view as a child, coming from around a corner from her father's house to see a man sitting in a chair at the dining table, dressed all in black, his eyes cold and dead, a gun sat on the glass dining table.  
Without being pushed or shoved Daisy stepped out into the hallway, the metal armed man following, his eyes looking from left to right as he did so, ready to use Daisy as shield or as a defence. Both begun to move down the stairs, the metal armed man tightening his grip on her arm. Moving as if in a daze, she barely looked at stairs as she moved, knowing the amount of steps there was on the staircase and what direction to go in, her gaze was fixed on straight ahead, focused on nothing, trying her best to ignore the whimpering noise inside her head.  
In no time at all they had reached the exist to the apartment building, which the metal arm man opened door of, pulling Daisy closer to wards him, using her again to shield himself and cover his metal arm from view as much as possible. As directed, Daisy turned right and begun to walk to wards the nondescript black van, knowing very well that once inside that van, with that man, all hope was lost, she would not be found, she could not be help and she was under the control and the capture of the man behind her.  
The Winter Soldier.  
The Asset.  
The Fist of Hydra.  
The Super assassin.  
Her father’s most prized possession.

 

**One Year Earlier**

_**Triskelion, Washington.** _

Waiting underneath the glass main forecourt of the entrance of Triskelion Daisy waited near the giant metal Shield symbol, looking up at it she couldn’t help but feel tiny. She had been to the Triskelion many times over the years, but coming back she always felt like she out of her depth, she had grown up with Shield in her life but she never wanted to work for it, she hadn’t want to go to the Academy and she had had no desire to become an agent unlike her sister, who from a young a age become very much a part of shield.  
Around her the employees of Shield walked about their daily business, in this part of the building there was basic public access and all levels of workers, the majority of them being smart suited serious faced people that walked with purpose and straight backs. Catching the gaze of a man and woman walking together Daisy gave them a smile with which was flat out ignored, simply following her with their gaze and moved past.  
“Okeee.” Daisy mumbled, feeling uncomfortable. She looked down at her attire, dark jeans, a oversized checked shirt and cut short pretend leather jacket. Yeah, this definitely wouldn’t cut it as Shield agent, Daisy chuckled to herself. Worrying about her clothes and looks as a Doctor was the last thing on Daisy’s mind during operations and working under extreme circumstances.  
Feeling a ping in her Daisy felt sad that she really didn’t fit into her father’s and sister’s lives. She knew that the work they did was important and good, but she felt the diplomacy that Shield operated under was impractical, she had wanted to her involved differently and get her hands dirtty, not leaving things to various councils and committees of people that sat behind desks and wanted reports of reports about reports on reports. Daisy was proud of her father, but she had told him a long time ago she wouldn’t be member of shield, there was too much else she wanted to do. To her surprise, her father was fine with her decision, in fact he did all he could to support it. But being there in Shield Headquarters she felt part tourist and part fraud.  
Pulling nervously at the hem of her shirt Daisy looked away from the Shield symbol to the forecourt. Walking towards her in steady strides was her father, with two intimating shield agents wearing bullet proof vests and all in black following from either side, looking very much like her father’s shadow.  
Smiling Daisy walked over to meet her father.  
“Hi Flower.” Alexander Pierce greeted his daughter with a smile. “Ready for lunch?”  
“Absolutely.” She replied, reaching in for hug. “Flower? Oh not that name again, you’re going to call me that till i’m old and grey!”  
“You will always be my Flower, Princess.” Pierce smiled back.  
From behind the two Shield shadows stood motionless and quietly.  
“Err Dad, are we having company?” Daisy asked quietly, trying not to be too loud, showing her gaze towards the two shadows.  
“Just security hun.” Pierce explained.  
“Righteeee.” Daisy replied unsurely.  
Not turning to face them Shield told the Shadows. “Gentlemen, thank you.” To which they nodded and walked away.  
There were times like those were Daisy felt uneasy about Shield and the military as a whole, such complete obedience was the mark of good training and loyalty, but after having dealt with child soldiers and seen the harsher sides of mind control Daisy always felt nerves inside her pull. Obviously those men were just normal Shield members, nothing odd or harsh about about them or their behaviour, they were just like her father, people working to help the defence, safety and security of everybody.  
“So, how’s your day been?” Daisy asked breezily, wanting to halt her over-thinking thoughts. “Ready for tonight?”  
Pulling a face that Daisy knew was notorious with her father's dislike or distaste at something, half a pout and part a snarl, Pierce put his arm over his daughter’s shoulder and begun walking to the exist of the Triskelion. “Too many meetings and not enough decisions. And as for tonight, i would rather it wasn’t happening at all and my birthday was ignored, or at most i could spend it in peace.”  
“Awww Dada.” Daisy smiled. “You know Shield just want to celebrate all the work you’ve done and how much everyone thinks of you here.” As she said this as the same couple that Daisy had smiled at walked past her and her father, there expressions were different now, poised, nodding at them seeming more respectful, seeing she was with Alexander Pierce. Seeing them Pierce gave a nod back. Similarly at they grew closer to the exist people begun to realise that one of the heads and leaders of Shield was walking past them.  
“Hmmm.” Pierce responded back with. “A cupcake would of been fine.”  
“Dad.” Daisy pointed as the walked through glass entrance. “You are going to enjoy tonight, i promise you.”

 

_**Washington DC, Hyatt Regency.** _

The Hyatt Regency ballroom was filled with people.  
All around the room were various members of Shield, drinking from flutes of champagne taken from the serving staff, talking happily, eating from the large platers that were being moved around the room.  
Every detail of the party was flawlessly put together. The ballroom was opened up and exteneded, so that within the main ballroom was food and entertainment, by the live band on the stage, further along the extension led to soft seating and towards the staircase to the open wooden decked bar. The colour scheme was red and gold, all the table cloths, table centre pieces were organised with roses and golden vases, all the serving staff wore white shirts with either red or gold ties, a fountain illuminated with gold lights was the main centre piece of one the largest tables of the room, the sound of trickling water was heard interwoven with the music from the stage. The grand chandeliers were illuminated in red and gold, making the whole room glitter and gleam.  
Talking amongst themselves two individuals surveyed the room, but looking as if they were simply holding a pleasant conversation, a man stern looking black man dressed in a black suit with an eye-patch holding a flute of champagne but not drinking from and a red haired woman in a halter neck slim hugging blue dress also holding a flute of champagne but drinking from it, stood trying not to catch the attention of anyone in the room.  
“So Shield paid for all this?” The Red haired woman asked looking to her left and at the centre piece of roses and explosive goldness next to her. “Seems a bit over the top.”  
“It’s all been donated from one rich benefactors of Shield.” The eye-patched man replied with exhale. “The party was put together by Shield using the money from some ass kissing rich diplomat that wants Pierce in his pocket.”  
“Sooo, Pierce is letting that happen?” The Red hair woman quizzed with a slight frown.  
“Nope.” The eye-patched man said with a smirk. “He uses this as ruse to get the guy on side so he can eventually expose him. Trust what you know more than who you know.”  
“Hmmm.” The red haired woman as she sipped her drink. “No wonder you and Pierce get along so well, you think alike.”  
Turning to face her he raised an eyebrow. “Really?”  
“Oh yeah.” She replied with a smirk. “Always two steps ahead of the game.”  
“Four steps Romanoff.” He told her. “Always be four steps ahead, that way you can see everyone from all angles.”  
From the doorway of the ballroom Alexander Pierce and Daisy Pierce stepped through. With their arms locked together, the two looked as if they were ready for battle but dressed smartly for the occasion with pleasant smiles on their faces.  
“Finally.” Romanoff said putting her glass down on the table.  
“We stay for another fifteen minutes, talk to Pierce and then we go.” The man told her as he watched Pierce. “Can’t stand these damn parties even when their not being paid for by someone with too much money and selfish intentions.”  
Daisy fidget slightly as she walked in, the white lace dress she wore felt completely alien to herself, the last time she had worn anything like this was when she had gone to Uncle’s wedding 7years ago, and she remembered the she given the dress to charity afterwards because the sight of her made her cringe at the overly girliness of it.  
Used to wearing suits daily Pierce looked comfortable, his tuxedo was classic and fitted him well, the only hint of colour was his red bowtie. Despite his feeling of not wanting to be there, nothing could be read from his face and his manners, he looked professional and at ease all at once.  
“I feel like i’m going to confirmation in this dress Dad.” Daisy whispered to him.  
He looked down at his tiny daughter and smiled. “You look very sweet Daise.”  
Daisy made a face but didn’t say anything, she knew her father was teasing but she was willing to endure the dress, and the teasing, for his birthday.  
Entering in Daisy saw the full grandness of the party, she wanted to whistle slightly but thought better of it. It really was a grand affair and she very felt out of place here.  
It was from then on in people came up to her father, shook his hand, told him happy birthday, made some quick joke about him not looking his age, tried to talk briefly about Shield, before Pierce nodded at them thank you and moved away, basically to the next person, each time Pierce would introduce Daisy “This is my youngest daughter Daisy, she is a Doctor who works in foreign aid” or “This is my daughter Daisy” all depending or not if he was willing to talk to them and if he felt compelled to make the effort for them.  
After having meet/spoken to/nodded at/smiled at/shook hands with Pierce came to the eye-patched man and the red hair woman.  
“Nick, Romanoff.” Pierce said with a glad tone in his voice.  
“Sir.” They both said with a respectful nod.  
Pierce shook Nick hands and then Romanoff’s. Clasping his hands together afterwards Pierce smiled. “Thank you for coming, i know if i did’t have to i wouldn’t have.”  
“Dad….” Daisy said jokingly warningly from his side but smiling. She was familiar with Nick Fury, he had been a long time friend of her father’s and, as she had been told many times by her father, had helped to save her sister’s life years before.  
Turning towards his daughter Pierce smiled. “Nick, you remember Daisy don’t you?”  
“Of course.” He replied nodding her. “Been a while, haven’t seen you since before you went to Med school.”  
“That’s right.” Daisy said. She remembered it because that was same last time she had actually seen her sister Caitlin.  
“Agent Romanoff.” Pierce said looking to Romanoff. “You haven’t meet Daisy have you?”  
“No sir.” Romanoff agreed. Offering Daisy her hand she shook it, her hand shake was firm but gentle, not slack. “Natasha Romanoff, pleasure to meet you Doctor Pierce.”  
Daisy smiled, feeling a little bit more at ease, knowing Romanoff wasn't like most of the people in the room who wished to gain attention and time from her father to help further their careers, both women gave eachother a knowing respecting look.  
Changing the subject Pierce interjected. “So what’s the time frame Nick? Another 3minutes and you make your move out of here.”  
“2minutes, through the doors on the left to the car park outside, easy exist, no chance of meeting people.” Nick Fury said as if was a military operation.  
Pierce smiled and shook his head. “Always ready for anything Fury.”  
“Best way to be.” Fury said with a slight smile.

 **************

_**North West, 88 Miles from New York.** _

The movement of the van was starting to make Daisy sick, the steady bump bump as they traveled over what she could only guess was gravel (gravel, how far had they traveled out of New York to hit gravel?)  
She wanted to move her leg but tried not to move around at all as the last time she had learnt her lesson, the inside of the back of the van was filled with various forms of weaponry, most of which she couldn’t see, but gradually as her eyesight had grown used to the dark she was able to make out very large firing arms and things which looked as if they could quite easily start shooting off bullets or some form of fire power if nudged a little to hard.  
After being shoved into the van from the side door, then having her hands cuffed together and legs bound, Daisy hadn’t seen or heard anything from the man in front. Daisy had realised as she sat there that she was in a shield van that had been heavily adapted, the seats had been ripped out and piled with the all the weapons.  
As the motions got worse her sick feeling was starting to even itself out slightly, but that vanished as she felt hundred times more sick when the van stopped dead and shook her forward slightly from the force of it. From the front she heard a door click open and then shut, then the sound of feet on gravel walking.  
Daisy counted her breaths; 1 2 3 4 5…  
The door next to her slide with in a flash and into the darkness of the van the lesser darkness of the night came in.  
Blocking the view of anything stood the metal armed man before her, she could barely make out his face but she could tell his mood had definitely not lightened or improved in anyway.  
Opening her mouth, wanting to say something, wanting to try to ask a question, only air came out, she couldn’t form the words, she felt frightened of the consequence of what would occur if she did.  
Without warning he reached into the van, grabbed hold of her by her middle and simply threw her over his shoulder in one easy simple strong move.  
Daisy wanted to pass out then but found that she couldn’t because she was too aware and shocked at what was going on to do anything but be held over the metal armed man’s shoulder.

 

** One Year Earlier **

**_Washington DC, Hyatt Regency._ **

The band had started to play a waltz with simple twist of jazz to it, the type of music with which her Father was very much a fan of, so Daisy and her father had been the first to dance on the ballroom dance floor.  
Her father friends, co-worker and members of shield all watched as they, father and daughter, danced flawlessly together, Daisy’s with tiny petite form, her back straight, her head high and a small smirk of enjoyment on her face. The dance moves were simple and didn’t venture into anything dramatic, Alexander Pierce danced effortless and elegantly, waltzing around the dance floor, completely at ease with the steps and with his partner, as the music gradually grew more lively Pierce moved his daughter into a high spin, to which their was a small sheer and a clap from the watching circle of people.  
Pierce smiled and then looked over to the band, to which he nodded at them and they begun to play a slower less jazzy version of the waltz and to where Pierce waved like a composer to those standing around to come to the ballroom floor and dance also. As if obeying orders a gentle stream of couples came onto the dance floor and begun to dance to the music around Daisy and Pierce who found themselves in the middle of all the dancing.  
Pierce offered his dark haired petite daughter his hand again and they begun to dance again but more slowly.  
Looking up at her Father happily Daisy smiled. “Dad, I’m glad i came back for this, i”m so glad to be here with you here tonight.”  
Pierce kissed the palm of daughter’s left hand and smiled. “That means more to be than anything here tonight Princess.” Pulling in for embrace with which his tall engulfed her tiny frame in loving hug.  
Looking around the room at the people all watching, Daisy felt the intensity of their gaze, they all truly respected her Father, she had known that for years, she had seen it daily since her return and she had seen it daily growing up but there, in that room, she truly felt the sense of power her Father wielded, for a moment a thought occurred to her; they would walk through fire and walk on to fire for my Dad.  
She felt a shiver down her spine, she had seen that form of absolute dedication to someone’s strength and power whilst working in Africa, the warlords and the young soldiers, barely adults, following the orders of their leaders without question or thought, never thinking of the pain and the possibility of death, just complete obedience to their leader, losing not only their free but their minds in the process.  
Physical shaking her head to shake the thought and the feeling away Daisy looked back up at her Father; what a silly thought to think, there was nothing like that in this room here, there never could be.  
“You okay Flower?” Pierce smiled at Daisy, seeing the look on her face change.  
“Yes.” Daisy said quickly, trying not to think about it again.  
It was then coming through the crowd a couple walked. They were a tall elegant couple, the woman in a red ball gown, that hung low and tight but looked classically elegant, allowing the long neck and long legged, blonde woman to look as if she had just stepped out of the sliver screen from the 1950s. The man was as tall as she, he could be called thin but he was built with a firm tall body that lacked bulk but held strength and presence within his shoulders and back, wearing a classic tuxedo, the man wore small rimmed round glasses and his hair was short, peppered with various shades of white, blonde and auburn, though not classically handsome, next to the woman the two looked like a couple to whom could command attention and hold a presence.  
The couple begun walking towards the dance floor to where they both begun to dance and looking at each other with professional gazes, smiling, nearing themselves to the middle of the dance floor in small gentle dance steps to the music.  
Daisy caught a glimpse of them from one of the short gentle spins her Father did and she had to catch her breath.  
“Caitlin!” Daisy exclaimed almost giddy.  
Turning to face Daisy the long neck blonde woman smiled perfect white teeth and moved towards the shorter woman. “Surprise Baby Sister.” And she went in for an embrace to which Daisy practically throw herself into and hugged her taller sister tightly, barely coming up to her shoulder.  
Standing before them both Pierce smiled. “Glad you could make it Cat.”  
“Would not have missed it Dad.” Caitlin Pierce said as she came out her hug with Daisy. Taking a step to her father she peek the cheek and a quick gentle hug. “Had to come all the way from Russia but you knew i would come.”  
“I knew.” Pierce smiled with a nod. “You’ve never let me down.”  
Daisy held the hand of her sister, clasping like it like small child, marvelling at her stunning taller sister. She was at loss for words, shocked and pleased to see her.  
From behind Caitlin stood the man who had come with her, he caught Daisy’s eye because he was staring at her with curiosity in his eyes.  
“Hello.” Daisy said to the man, not the sort of person to ignore anyone and interested to who he was to her sister.  
“Hello Doctor Pierce.” He smiled, his accent was a crisp and well spoken. “I’ve heard so much about you from your Father and sister.”  
Pierce smiled and put a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “This is Daniel Whitehall Daisy, he’s an asset to Shield and you might know him from his research and work to help the V771 Project, he is the leading figure on clarifying and cleansing deadly viruses.”  
“V771?” Daisy said excited looking the man directly in the eyes. “You helped to cure the worst spread of Necrotizing Fasciitis there had ever been in West African, you saved countless lives, Mr Whitehall.”  
Whitehall titled his head to side and chuckled. “Now, Ms Pierce, you know us scientists are modest people, blowing ones horns, as they say, isn’t worthy of the cause in the end, its the cause which we are all working for.”  
“The ‘cause’.” Daisy quizzed.  
“Yes.” Whitehall smiled, his eyes flexing to both Alexander Pierce and to Caitlin Pierce. “Bettering the future of humanity, strengthening it and doing what we can.”  
For a brief moment Daisy felt confused at his choice of words, it was an unusual bold way to talk about science and medicine, to say it with such gusto as he did Daisy didn’t know if she was impressed or felt that his whole idealism was little shakespearian. Over the years Daisy had met with a lot of scientists, worked with some as well, she had come to realise a long time ago, that because they dealt with petri dishes, cells and fungus, their way of thinking and measuring normal things become warped, not at all making them bad people, just very awkward in social situations/occasions from their lack of interaction.  
“Oh….” Daisy replied. “Yes, i understand.”  
The look on Whitehall’s face was pleased, he looked at Daisy with added interest, his intense steel blue looking into to her’s, as if seeing her differently.  
“Dad.” Caitlin said cheerily from next to him, clasping onto her father’s arm and resting the side of her head on his shoulder and giving a mocking pout. “Let’s dance, i haven’t dance with you in years.”  
“Or course.” Pierce said smiling, taking her hand to dance. “But i do think Daisy will need a dance partner. Mr Whitehall?” He turned his gaze onto Whitehall, who was still looking at Daisy. “Would you look after my youngest daughter and dance with her?”  
Still not looking away from her Daisy, Whitehall smiled. “Of course Sir, it would be a pleasure.”  
There were not many times Daisy had to do what she didn’t want, dancing with Whitehall was one of them. As a Scientist, for his work, he had her respect, but to dance with she would have preferred not to, his looking at her made her uncomfortable, having to pretend she was interested in the decor of the room and trying to look away was easy, but when he took her hand and lead her to dance Daisy wanted to make her excuses and walk away. However, because it was a party/celebration for her father, because Whitehall was a friend/co-worker of her sister and he knew her father, Daisy knew it would be various levels of disrespectful to decline the dance, especially since her own father was the one who had suggested it.  
Whitehall was twice the size of Daisy, so dancing with him was not easy, Daisy felt as she was child size compared to him and felt more like a midget then usual (a name she didn’t mind but ever so often she realised she was verging on being one for her shortage of height.) The music playing from the band was slow and gentle, a gentle mixture of two violins and the piano player, almost romantic but not quite, it was bitten with a gentle harshness to it with the contrasting of the instruments.  
“Do you play?” Whitehall asked, obviously making conversation to Daisy, noticing her gaze at the violinists.  
“Play?” Daisy chuckled slightly. “I can play but i can play incredibly badly. Violin was Caitlin’s instrument, i was always better at the piano, though to honest, i haven’t played in years.”  
“That’s a pity.” Whitehall said, looking at the violin. “The violin is one the most beautiful musical instruments. I always enjoy listening to it when i work, helps to keep me focused and work much more thoroughly.”  
Again, Daisy felt Whitehall really did have unusual choice of the words he used.  
“Hmm.” Daisy struggled to keep with conversation, something which never usually happened. “How did you and Caitlin meet? I know so little of what she does, majority of what she does is classified i never know where she is in the world, security purposes i know.”  
“Caitlin?” He quizzed, seemingly to be surprised at her name. Then smiling and looking over to both Caitlin Pierce and Alexander Pierce as they danced nearby. “Your Father saved my life and bought into his team and gave me new focus and purpose, i met Caitlin through your Father and we’ve worked on and off together for a few years now.” Whitehall looked down at Daisy and smiled. “I hope soon we can work together, l’m sure we can achieve a great many things Doctor Pierce.”  
“Oh.” Daisy replied. “I’m not a member of Shield.” Again, she felt uncomfortable with his eyes looking at her  
“I know.” Whitehall said. “But we can still work together without Shield, we can learn so much from each other.”  
The chance of working with the man who had been behind the V771 Project, despite his awkward stares and usually ways of phrasing things was too good a opportunity to miss, so Daisy smiled and nodded. “Yes, we could definitely learn a lot of from each other.”

 

**************

**_172 Miles Outside Of New York._ **

It was only when she heard the distinctive sound of walking on snow through her closed eyes that Daisy realised that wherever she had been driven to there was snow, which outside of New York in December didn’t narrow it down too much, but it was definitely a place away from civilisation, which even without the binds on her hands and feet would of made the chances of escape extremely hard to basically impossible.  
With her head dangling over the back of the metal armed man, Daisy tried to keep her eyes closed, but the sensation of her instinctives wanting to know what was happening, if was going to fell or be dropped so she could brace herself stopped her for completely shutting her eyes and not looking. Her eyes only saw the leather back of the man’s military boots, his altered leather strapped jacket with its right arm cut off to show his lined metal curve, grooves and indents on the non-reflective gleam metal arm. Daisy could only wonder how much longer she was going to be alive.  
Logic broke into her thoughts as he continued to keep walking over the snow towards to his intended location. If he wanted her dead, he could of simply killed her at the apartment, no finger prints, no witnesses, she wouldn’t be missed until the next morning and even then, after what had happened at work, no-one would go out of there way to look for her, maybe Banner but with his own work at The Avengers Towers lately, it was hardly likely. No…he had asked her to pack and to pack warm, which meant something.  
He was going to kill her, well, maybe…he was not going to kill her straight away, maybe later but not now. It was this thought alone that gave Daisy the smallest amount of hope.  
That small amount of hope was enough to compress the fear within her, she was obviously in danger and her future was very uncertain but she was alive and apparently she had her warm clothes in a bag somewhere.  
Being over the shoulder of the metal armed man Daisy did not feel as if the man was unsteady on his feet, he moved quick and with strength, with power in his strides against the snow, which Daisy begun to realise was actually quick deep as he walked further to his destination, told her that this was all very much part of plan of some sort.  
His crunching boots on the snow changed, to the sound of boots against metal, a gentle but slightly echoed clang of a heavy weight against metal caused Daisy to tense, there was entering into somewhere.  
A change in the sensation of his motion made Daisy feel as if the man was walking up somewhere, somewhere hollow.  
Then, with a quick but gentle movement, the man flip Daisy backwards over his shoulder and placed on her the floor. It was done so quickly Daisy only had time to let a surprised sound of ‘Ohh’ escape her lips as she found herself on the floor.  
From the dim ultraviolet lights Daisy found herself sat in the hanger bay of a Quinjet, the inside was different to the last time she had been inside a Shield quintet, it had been, like the van, stripped bare, all its seats having been taken out and to show the internal working of the Quinjet, pipes and engines all covered before but now fully exposed before her.  
From her sitting position Daisy could see through the hanger bay door where the snow had followed the metal armed man that had carried her. Twisting her head to the front where the cockpit was Daisy could see snow covered tree branches that were covering the Quinjet from where it was. There was little to nothing else Daisy could see, she could tell only that it was standard quintet that she had seen before around various shield locations, used mainly for transport with limited fire power to it. However, from where she sat, Daisy knew that the Quinjet had been specially altered and did things that no other did…which considering the person who had altered it, could only be deadly and extreme.  
“Stay there. Do not move or try to run.” Came the voice of the metal armed man who stood in front of Daisy, towering of her. His look was deadly and Daisy could tell that he was very serious.  
Slowly Daisy nodded, keeping her eye locked on his, too frightened and unsure to verbally answer back.  
Narrowing his eyes, as if a thought of something that angered him entered his mind, he turned on his feet and left back out the open hanger bay entrance, back out into the snow.  
When Daisy could hear the gentle crunch of the snow against the man’s boots she left out a breath of relief.  
Flipping her head around she looked for something, anything she could see that she could use, she knew trying to run was impossible, even she did manage to untie both her hands and her feet, where would she go, in the middle of the night?  
No, Daisy had to find something she could hide, a knife, something, anything!  
To her right she could see where the seat of the quinjet had been taken out, there was still metal rodes, prods still poking out, maybe some of them were lose, she could take one and put it up her sleeve and she could use it if she attacked.  
Daisy begun to shuffle herself over towards the area, using her backside to shuffle herself forward. When she got there she begun to look desperately for anything she could use that was useful, the only thing amongst all the protruding metal was thick long bolts. Turning around she grabbed on the bolts from behind with her hands and begun to manoeuvre it up her sleeve, it took a lot of affect as Daisy had to pull and twist her wrists painfully to do all of this, which was already in a lot of pain from being bound together for the hours since her capture.  
The sound of feet on snow broke through Daisy struggle to get the bolt up her sleeve. Daisy tried desperately to get it further up her sleeve but it was stuck from after her left wrist and refused to go any further. The sound grew nearer.  
Spinning on her backside Daisy struggle with speed back to the other side of the quinjet where she had been left.  
Head down, Daisy held her breath, she did’t look as the metal armed man reentered into the quinjet. He stood for a moment on the platform entrance looking in at her, not saying anything. Then as if some spell had been broken he walked in to the quinjet and dropped the constance of what was in his arms, which was gunnery and various armouries, along with the large black bag she had frantically packed back her apartment hours ago, all from the van they had traveled in.  
Not far from her feet the guns and weapons of various sizes and various uses of mass damage lay on the floor. Daisy could only stare at them with wide open shocked eyes of fear, expecting them to go off madly at any time and turn her body into bloody mass on the floor.  
“You can keep it.” Said the metal armed man, looking down at her.  
Lifting her head up Daisy looked into his eyes again, this time there was no anger in his voice or his eyes, just a serious weird dead calmness.  
“If having a useless bolt up your sleeve makes you feel safe, good for you.”  
With that he pressed the latch next to him for the hanger door to shut behind him with quick thud and hiss, then walked into the cockpit.  
Feeling slightly shocked Daisy still looked to where the metal armed man had been standing moments ago, her face shocked and pale.  
Knowing that her plan in waiting wasn’t worth it, she shook both her wrists and let the bolt that was up her sleeve clang down on to the floor and roll away from her.  
Genius plan Daisy. She thought to herself. Completely and utterly genius.  
From the cockpit the metal armed man took his seat. Before he begun to switch the engine on and bring the quinjet to life, a small smirk crossed his face at the sound of the clang of the bolt from behind him. The small smirk changed his face, he looked less menacing and much younger, from behind his dark messy greasy hair for a moment he didn’t look like trained brain washed assassin who was over 90 years, he looked more like a man who had won a small battle was slightly pleased with himself.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, internal debate whether to continue writing, too many ideas brewing, but only a small amount of time to write and to actual compress them into words that i feel comfortable with.  
> The thought of finishing this by the winter Solstice this year is very much out the window and stuck in a tree...but it will be finished.

**One Year Earlier.**

_**Washington DC, Hyatt Regency.** _

Alexander Pierce and his eldest daughter danced together, both watching the room as they did so but talking to each other as they watched and danced. Both were the same height, even with Caitlin Pierce wearing daringly high heeled shoes that she wore effortless with grace and ease. Next to each other the resemblance was uncanny, Caitlin having inherited her father high cheekbones and his oval shaped faces, but Caitlin had a softness to her appearance, she possessed full lips and a poise and strength in her movement that seemed to command attention but always remained femanine, her father held a similar poise and strength but his came with years of experience and confident in himself, so as they moved they both mirrored each other but with invariable strength between them .  
“If i knew better Father i could swear you were enjoying yourself.” Caitlin remarked.  
“Hardly.” Pierce replied, side stepping, barely looking were he was leading them but doing so with ease. “ The only decent thing about this whole affair is i get to see you and your sister together…and know that soon i won’t have to put with 75% of the people here once Project Inight is in effect.”  
Both looked at each other directly, a small sly smirk being shared between the two.  
“Not much longer now and we can stop hiding in the shadows and acting like ghosts.” Caitlin stated with pride. “Soon, everything will fell into place and the world will understand the power of Hydra.”  
“Yes.” Pierce nodded solemnly, stopped his dancing with his daughter, looking at her with conventation. “Finally.” Caitlin said with concern. “Taking her name off Project Insight will only stop what is was meant to happen temporally Father, but you know what you must do. You-must-bring-her-in.”  
Turning her head to right where Daisy and Whitehall danced, the tall fair-haired scientist looked intensely to the smaller woman as they danced and Daisy seemed to keep her eyes focused to anywhere else but where his eyes were.  
“Otherwise she will be sacrificed, never knowing her true potential.” Caitlin fixed her eyes onto Daisy as she said this.  
“I know Caitlin.” Pierce said firmly. “I’ve known far longer than you have about sacrifices.”  
With jagged smirk on her face Caitlin twisted her head back to her father, to look into his stern face. “Yes you have Father and when the time come i’m sure that The Red Skull will truly see all you have done and what you have sacrificed but i do not want to sacrifice Daisy. Whitehall says-”  
Pierce started to dance again with Caitlin, again his mannerisms and movement were solid and elegant, giving nothing away and showing nothing about the severity of the weight of the conversation he and his eldest daughter were having. “Don’t you trust me Angel? Whitehall may think what he wants, but Daisy is meant for more important things than what he knows, in time he will realise that, all of Hydra will Angel.”  
“Angel?” Caitlin chuckled as she carried on dancing again. “You stopped calling me after China in 1997, i thought i had lost the right to being called Angel, which i always thought was ironic but fair.” Leaning more towards her Father she said softly. “I trust you Father explicitly and i know you will do the right thing eventually and see to it Daisy is ready…just remember that time is running out, everything has to be done before Project Insight is put into place.”  
“It will be.” Pierce said with conviction. “I’ve never failed on a mission in 40yrs and neither has the asset. You…” He leaning into his daughter ear fiercely. “remember that before you dare question me Jugendlich.”  
“Yes Father.” Caitlin replied obediently, lowering her head as she did. “Father,” Looking into his eyes, will genuine look of honesty, “if Red Skull were here he would see how you bought Hydra out of the shadows and bought it into its rightful place as the leader of Humanity.”  
“Thank you Caitlin.” Pierce smiled, he kissed her forehead. “You make me so proud Caitlin, never doubt i see you as not only my daughter but the one who will take the new head of Hydra when i am gone.”  
“But Father….” Caitlin exclaimed, slightly raising her voice. “You know there are others before me, Strucker, Whitehall and…”  
“No…” Pierce said firmly. “I place more trust in you, as my daughter, to take my place when the time come, there is no-one else Caitlin. When Hydra hold its rightful place both you, Daisy will take Hydra further out into the Galaxy and find the Powers Eternal for us.”  
As they both danced slowly Daisy and Whitehall again came into their view, the short Daisy Pierce was politely laughing at something Whitehall had said, maybe a joke or a comment but whatever it was it made her smile and look over to Alexander Pierce and Caitlin Pierce, for which she smiled at them, a truly happy beaming smile, no longer for her conversation with Whitehall but the sight of her Father and Sister dancing across the room from her.  
“I cannot wait for that day Father.” Caitlin stated, smiling back at her sister Daisy. “I, we, will-not-fail-you.”  
“I know.” Pierce replied. “So does Strucker.”


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still developing what has happened to The Winter Soldier and how connected to the Pierce family he is. Apolgises this took so long to update.

**Washington, 1994**.  
Pulling her floral smelling sheet closer to herself Daisy yanked it to her chin, she was on the verge of waking up, though it was still late in the night, a distant noise had broken into her sleep and caused it to break. Daisy herself was aware she was waking up, not sure why, so only giving a gentle moan she turned over, not opening her eyes to admit she was stirring, she was too comfortable. Being only 5years old Daisy usually slept unbroken through the night, but after a day of having Renata run around after and make cookies for Renata’s elderly neighbour (who Daisy had never meet but regularly made chocolate chip cookies for) Daisy had gone to bed earlier then usual from exhaustion.  
Through her closed eyes she heard a familiar voice, her Father.  
Throwing her eyes open Daisy smiled to herself, her Father was finally home, he had been gone for over a week and Daisy was excited to know he was finally home. She had to tell him about school, tell how she won a gold sticker in gym, how she was now the top of her class and year! Daisy flung the pale pink covers off herself, jumped into her white bunny slippers, grabbed her fluffy dressing gown and she charged herself out her pink room, past the soft toys and dolls that were on the floor around her bed that she had been playing with before she decided to was too tired and had gone to sleep.  
Opening her door, the light from the hallway flew in, from the banisters stairs below the whole of the house seemed to be lit up, causing shadows all around the upstairs floor she was on. Daisy looked over to her sister’s Caitlin’s door, as always her older sister’s door was shut, Caitlin wanted privacy for her self and to not spend time with her much much younger sister when she came home for spring break. The thought about waking her sister up vanished quickly from Daisy’s mind, her sister hadn’t been in the best of moods with her Father when he had gone away for work, so his surprise return in the night wouldn’t matter as much to Caitlin Pierce as it did to Daisy Pierce.  
From downstairs Daisy heard an electric noise, like a drill. Was her Father working on something, he was’t the type who did any sort of work with any drill. The thought never once occurred to Daisy that it was’t her Father downstairs, because of her young age, Daisy was still very unaware of such possibilities of danger, safety in the home was her father's top priority.  
There came a clutter of noise from below, sounding like pots and pans being banged about and Daisy smiled to herself, maybe her Daddy was cooking, trying to make a surprise for Daisy and Caitlin in the morning, Renata would be mad, Alexander Pierce was not the best cook, nor was he the best at cleaning up after himself, there was bound to be scoldings from Renata in the morning.  
Without a second thought Daisy run down the stairs, through the entrance, dashing into living room past the glass windows hoping to see her Father standing in the kitchen amongst the mess he had created but instead she found something else entirely.  
For a brief second Daisy thought there was no-one there, walking around from the counter in the kitchen she couldn’t see anyone, but as she tilted her to the side in confusion she found a man sitting at the round glass kitchen, alone and still.  
From the fluorinate light above in the kitchen Daisy could see how pale and dirty the man was, his hair was long, down to her his ears, dark and unkempt, he wore all black and looked very strong, for a moment Daisy studied him but her mind rang confused when she saw the slivery reflection coming off his right arm nearest the doubled glazed door behind him that led out to the family pool and garden.  
Daisy still had her head tilted to the stand still, not sure what was going on, she could’t fully see the man’s face, the light in hers eyes, the gleam of his arm, the dark dirty hair that fell into his face. She went to say something, a greeting and question when she felt two strong hands pick her up from her armpits off the floor and begin to carry her out the room.  
There wasn’t a moment of worry for Daisy, the familiar warm aftershave smell of her Father told Daisy straight away that it was him. Alexander Pierce was hurriedly walking upstairs with his 5year old daughter in his arms towards her room.  
“Daddy,” Daisy as her small arms reached around to hug him as she went up the stairs. “I’ve missed you!”  
“I missed you too Flower.” He said with a firm tone in his voice and keeping his eyes on her, checking her over.  
“Daddy.” Daisy quizzed still hold on her Father’s neck. “Who’s that man downstairs? He looks….”  
Alexander Pierce pushed his daughter bedroom door open and put her on the bed with quick military speed. Daisy had never seen her Father move so fast, he had her laying in bed and was pulling the covers of her before she could finish her sentence.  
“But Daddy…” Daisy started.  
Sitting down by the side of her bed Daisy took a look at her Father’s face, he had a thick long smear of dirt on his right cheek and his usually neat fair hair was an ash covered mess on his head. The shirts Alexander Pierce wore were expensive and of high quality, always clean and pressed, tie and cufflinks always matched and always neat, now, however, his tie was gone and his shirt was an unbuttoned mess with ash and oil marks all over it, his sleeves were rolled up to show his hairy strong arms, with fresh red welts on them, with dirt all over them.  
The sight of her Father in such a state shocked and frightened Daisy more than the man downstairs in her kitchen, she went to jump up from the covers but her Father put a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder to keep her down.  
“Sweetheart, go to sleep, its no-one you need to worry about.” Pierce told her smoothly, still keeping his hand on her shoulder. “Daddy is fine.”  
“But…but….your.” Daisy started to say something as she looked worried at her Father, when she felt a small pinch on her arm.  
Looking down to her arm Daisy saw her Father holding something against her forearm, his large hands covering it. He pulled it away and then pressed his thumb to it, a small trickle of blood pushed past his thumb and down her arm on to pale pink sheets.  
Frowning in confusion Daisy went to say something when her eyes grow heavy and her head tilted to the side and she begun to drift away. Her Father helped aid her head back on to the pillow and pulling her sheets comfortable over her.  
Daisy felt strangely aware of things around her, she felt her body become further from her control and everything around getting further away. One of the last things she could hear was the voice of Caitlin Pierce and Alexander Pierce.  
“What did you do to her?” Caitlin Pierce shouted.  
“She’s just sleeping.” Pierce replied firmly back. “Daisy came downstairs and saw The Asset, he’s come back from a mission and he’s needs to be put into Cryo, his 6 months is up and he needs reconditioning.”  
“And you left him downstairs!” Caitlin screamed.  
“He obeys me and only me.” Pierce said, his voice form but becoming further and further.  
The last thought Daisy had as everything drifted away and her body went into a deep sleep was; who obeys Daddy? Everyone don’t they?

 

 **4663.45 Miles From New York**  
This time Daisy jolted awake and sat up instantly. She would of sat and stayed up if she been able to use her hands, but because her hands were still bound together Daisy more flopped her body up like it was being propelled and stayed up angled as she sat on one bum cheek. Her breath was heavy and tense, coming from the dream into her current reality didn’t help steady her breath intensity or ease of her state of being. Her dream had definitely been a dream but it had had happened…she had just forgotten it.  
Daisy turned her head towards the cockpit where she could the back of her capturer's head, his long and bulky form taking over the pilot seat, his eyes were directed straight ahead, fully focused to where through the cockpit windows daylight came through the automatic tinted screen, shielding the bulk of the suns-rays.  
How long had she been asleep? She had laid her head against the panel behind her, with only the intention of resting for a while, but apparently she had fallen alseep.  
“Its 10am and you’ve been asleep for 6hrs and 23mins.” Came the voice of metal armed man in the cockpit.  
Slightly shocked at his voice seeming to read her thoughts and his knowing she had woken up, Daisy sat frozen, wide eyes looked at the man’s direction.  
From the cockpit there didn’t come another sound for a few minutes, only the sound of the engine beneath them, roaring and humming away as the Quinjet moved over the clouds. After a few minutes Daisy begun to feel cramp in her legs, then another feeling, the call of nature.  
Great. Daisy thought annoyed: time to ask the man that’s kidnapped me if i can use the toilet.  
A thought occurred to her that she wasn’t even sure if Quintets actually had factuality’s like that in them, they weren’t built for such luxuries or necessities. Maybe she could hold it, couldn’t be that far to get to where…where were they going? In the few words he had said to her no actually mention of where they were heading had been mentioned, not that people that capture and kidnap people were as informative as that.  
“Sir…” Daisy said slowly and more quietly than she intended.  
Nothing. No movement. No response.  
“Mister…Sir…” Daisy tried again slightly louder.  
Again nothing, no movement, no response.  
“Si-“  
“I am not a sir!” Breathed the man from the cockpit, still sitting. “Or a mister.” He turned his head slightly to the left towards her, so that he could see her sitting from the corner of his eye. “What do you want?”  
“I…need…” Daisy started, thinking how best to phrase it, she could speak 6 languages but she couldn’t think what was the best phrase to use to say she needed to use the bathroom. “…to…pee.” The words that came out of Daisy mouth were slowed and pained because it was basically what she needed, it was all she needed but she felt for sure she may have been after for dinner and show from her the metal armed man.  
The look on his face did not change, he didn’t move or say anything else, just sat there with his head turned to wards her and looking at her.  
Because the need to use the bathroom hadn’t lessen, Daisy fidgeted slightly. She tried to get a closer look at his face, to try and read what he thinking or say.  
“Si…Mist…umm…kidnapper man.” Daisy tried again, trying to sound as polite as she could. “I promise you I am not messing around. I really need to use the lavatory.”  
“Ummm.” He replied, turning his head back to the front. “Fine.”  
Unsure what he meant, Daisy frowned, but found her confusion was soon answered when the Quintet seemed to basically nose dive downwards. All the weapons and random pieces of machinery around lunged forward, with legs and wrists still bound together, Daisy’s body managed to turn itself around and begin to slide towards the front of the cockpit, unable to brace herself, she grabbed onto the nearest thing she could and hold onto it for dear life, lose and unattached everywhere were wires, active or not, Daisy did not know, but she didn’t let the go of entangled mess of them. The Quinjet was zooming downwards at a 90’ angel, the sound of the air rushing past made a whopping and zipping noise in Daisy’s ears, she felt her ears on the verge of popping.  
Pushing the Quinjet further downwards it’s metal armed pilot had no expression on his face, he simply kept his gaze focused to the front.  
All the thoughts Daisy had had before of needing to relieve herself vanished, her first and only thoughts was if she was going to survive this. The force of the continued pulling downwards caused Daisy to lose her grip on her holding onto the wires, and go lunging forwards to the cockpit, her tiny body spun as it did so and she found herself pressed onto the back of the metal armed man pilots chair, her bound wrists holding her against the chair, so she could see what happening in front of her.  
At first all Daisy could see was white, she tried to look more closely despite her frightened and desperate state, when she did she realised that weren’t clouds but snow, which they were shooting straight towards.  
“Holy shi-“ Daisy shouted as she braced herself for impact.  
Turning his head toward her direction again, the metal armed man pulled the control of the Quinjet forcefully with little effort, so it leveled out and hovered momentarily above the snow covered ground for a moment, the thrusters below the Quinjet working and causing the snow beneath it to begun to melt and alter below it.  
Eyes closed tightly, not wanting to feel the full force of the impact, Daisy waited for the shock of the crash but felt nothing.  
Still not looking at her from behind his seat, the metal armed man made a grimace like express, then pulled a leaver from behind and the Quinjet landed into the snow below them with ease with barely a shake and twitch to both Daisy and his body.  
Eyes, still closed she felt the sensation of falling gone, the whole being forced forwards by the rapid escalation of the speed of the Quinjet now stopped. Slowly Daisy flicked one eye open, she found herself holding onto the back of pilot seat with her head nearly touching the head front of the seat and from where she was she able to smell smoke and ash on the metal armed man in front of her, his head facing out to the front.  
“What was that?” Daisy breathed out quickly. “What were-“  
Saying nothing the metal armed man stood up from his seat and looked down at Daisy, his eyes and face unreadable. He grabbed hold of Daisy's arm and pulled her to her feet, basically picking her off the ground as he did so, planting back down and having her stand in front of him.  
Glaring down her, with her eyes wide with a look of bewilderment, the metal armed man used his metal arm to twist her around towards the back of the Quinjet and then directed her to the hatch at the back, her bound feet only allowed her to shuffle very slowly. Seeming to realising this fact, the metal armed man, in what Daisy considered in a blink of eye, pulled out a knife from his side and then cut through the binds on her ankles, not even touching her or her clothes in the process. When free Daisy nearly jumped her legs apart, feeling instant relief, but then remember the fact she still need to use the bathroom.  
Again, Daisy was directed towards the hatch, which the metal armed man open pressing a button from somewhere that she didn’t see. The doors of the hatch opened with a smacking hiss, and the platform of the hatch landed soundly onto the snow.  
Stopping just before the exit Daisy looked down into the snow covered ground before her.  
“If I ask where we are, will you tell me?” Daisy said, scanning her surrounding, then twisting her head back to face him.  
Exhaling and now holding onto her shoulder with his metal arm the man replied with frustration. “Russia.”  
“Ooooh.” Daisy breathed, feeling the sharp coldness of the foreign new air into her lungs, she the breath it out and let the steam come out of her mouth. “Why……?”  
“Stop talking.” The man told her firmly, giving her shoulder a squeeze with his metal hand, so the clicking of the insides of the mechanics could be heard. His expression was annoyed and tight as he looked down at her, with his flesh hand he pointed in the direction to the left, her eyes followed the movement of his hand as he did so, fearful of he was might hit her to clarify she was truly to stop talking. “Relieve yourself over there.”  
Looking over the direction he was pointing, Daisy’s eyebrows raised high on her brow. “There’s no cover…i can’t go there.” To her realisation she saw there was no cover anywhere, just snow, further off into the distance she could the starting of a forest and from the distance behind the Quinjet she saw something she only guess as possible mountains or raised land, but nothing else.  
“I don’t care.” He told her firmly. “You go there or you don’t go at all.”  
In her years of working in as a Doctor in some of the most poverty ridden places, with little to no decent sanitation, Daisy had come to think she could cope with anything, in the field you came to accept what was around you and use the restores you had, but Daisy had never had to lose her dignity in anyway like what was in front of her now.  
“Can’t you…” Daisy started slowly, then turned to face him and spoke quickly so that she could’t be stopped by him. "…land or park somewhere where there’s more trees or anything.”  
What Daisy could only guess was a growl from his throat the metal armed man gave her shoulder another squeeze before shoving her down the ramp of the Quinjet on to the soft snow. The shove was unexpected and Daisy nearly lost her feet and slipped, but she managed to stable herself and hold herself steady.  
Take that as a no then. Daisy thought bitterly to herself.  
“Wait….” Daisy said. She held up her bound wrists to him without turning around, worried she might loose her feet again.  
Another growl came from him, he took two long strides to her, pulled out his knife and cut through the binds in the flick of an eye. Daisy rubbed her wrist, already red welts had formed from where it had rubbed and pulled at her skin.  
“Go then.” He hissed at her.  
Daisy pulled her head up and begun to walk forward, trying to hold her weight even in the snow, aware of how easily she could unbalance herself and fall. For a moment she was doing quite well, despite the snow beginning to reach up over her ankle she was moving swiftly and with ease, then her foot was sucked in by the snow and she went to lift it but was unable to, her already raised foot in motion to take another step caused her to fell forward in the snow face first. The cold wet snow meet her face with a whoosh and Daisy was engulfed by it.  
Like a person drowning Daisy throw her head up and spat out the snow that stopped the scream she had attempted to take before she had eaten the snow it in the fall. Momentary shock held her in the snow, part embarrassment, part frustration and shock, she begun to push herself up, but doing so in the snow was impossible, her palms fell through it and her knees, that she was trying to push herself up with only sunk into the snow.  
Whilst struggling with her inability to get her up, Daisy hadn’t heard the footsteps of the metal armed man from behind her, it was only when she felt strong hands grasp around her middle, pick her up and place her back upright, that she realised he had walked the distant to her silently.  
As soon as she was upright, he removed his hands and stood behind her saying nothing.  
“Thanks.” Daisy said quietly.  
There was no response from behind her. Daisy didn’t turn to face him, worried what express of loathing and dislike she would get from him.  
Again Daisy begun walking forward in the snow, more slowly this time, trying to measure the distance in her steps in the snow better this time.  
When at a distance she thought would be a safe distance, she turned to look at the Quinjet. To her surprise she hadn’t walked as far as she thought, in fact her distance, despite her efforts, was quite pathetic. Looking at the Quinjet, still in the snow, with the hatch still open, she couldn’t see the metal armed man, who against the snow would be very easy to see, all in black.  
Shaking her head to push away the unease she felt about where he was, she begun to think about how to do what she needed to, which she knew in the cold, in the open, was not going to be easy.  
In all life Daisy didn’t think she had been so happy to relieve herself, and never had she been so quick in doing so.  
Rubbing the snow in hands, away from where she had just used, she turned back to the Quinjet.  
Still she couldn’t see any sign of the metal armed man. Daisy turned her head back to the forest way in front of her. From where she stood, it looked extremely dense, though she was at the same level of the forest she could tell that it would go on for quite some many miles. Russia wasn’t somewhere Daisy knew at all, she knew her Father and Sister had been there many times, but from she didn’t know, it would only have been in the capital for political dealing, something which as a Doctor Daisy had no dealings with, dealing with the impracticalities of politicians only angered her and frustrated her, knowing actions was where she was more suited. Daisy had worked in parts of Syria and the Ukraine but Russia was a further and farther and a more vaster place she knew nothing about, even if Daisy had a clue where she was, she wouldn’t know where it was, Russia was too wide and deep, borders and lands separated for many hundreds if thousands of miles, entire parts of it unliveable and too dangerous to foreigner like herself to go to. The forest in front of her could be one of the forest she had heard about where no-one had been before, a wild part of the country where nature ruled and she, with nothing but the clothes she wore, would most likely die within days if not hours.  
Only a fool would run. Daisy thought to herself sternly. But…only a fool wouldn’t try.  
With that thought in her mind Daisy took a step ahead toward the forest, her foot went deep in the snow with a loud crunch. She was about to take another when she stopped. Because she heard the sound of something behind her. Just as she was about to look behind her, she felt herself being picked up, again by the metal armed and being flung over his shoulder, her body twisted and her front thrown onto this back, her legs dangling at his front..  
“Oh man…” She hissed as he did so. “Can you stop doing this, I am not a drag doll.”  
Shifting her on his shoulder he begun to walk back to the Quinjet. “I will stop doing this when you stop being a pain in my ass, Flower.”  
Allowing herself to flop, Daisy felt beaten. Though her attempt to escape was ill-conceived and hadn’t worked in the slightest, she knew that that was properly the only chance she only to her.  
In what seemed like moments, they were back at the Quinjet and the metal armed man was walking up the ramp. When inside, he flipped the switch and closed the hatch with a hiss, then throw Daisy onto the floor, so she landed on her backside.  
Before she could try to stifle herself comfortable, the metal armed man, begun to re-bind her wrists.  
“No…please don’t.” Daisy said sadly, as he begun. Not looking at her, working swiftly and quickly, he wrapped the binds around and around, then started to tie it all together.  
“Do you think I wouldn’t put these back on after you tried to run away?” He asked with a hint of anger.  
Grabbing her ankle, he pushed her knees down and pulled her ankle together and started to wrap the binding around them.  
“No….” She replied quietly. “I just hoped you wouldn’t.”  
“Hmmmm.” He grunted as he tied the knot into the binds.  
Daisy looked at his face, the stubble on his face, it had was beginning to turn into beard hair, mixing in with the hair of his moustache. With he facial hair she couldn’t tell what age he was, but she could see, from where she looked at him, that there were scars on his face, deep ones, fine indents and snaked lines covered various parts of his face, some going down his neck, going below to where his collar started. Looking at his ear, she could see that there was signs of burns and more scars, around his earlobe there was a zig-zag of scars, deeper than his facial scars.  
The look on her soften as she looked at him, she looked at him as a doctor looking at a patient, where the patient was screaming or spitting, the doctor tired to see what needed to be seen and didn’t try to judge the patient on the action they were taking in front of them, for any number of reasons the patient could be doing what they were doing, that was something which was to be ignored until the main issue could be found.  
Maybe it was the feeling of having her look at him and the pitying gaze but the metal armed man lifted up his head to face her and looked into her eyes.  
For a brief moment they looked right at each other. Daisy could see inside his deep blue eyes a deep dark sadness, mixed with an angry exhaustion, the lines under his eyes and the way his pupils were solid dark dots that against his iris stood out but what was startling and shocking, but the whites of his eyes, they were a perfect pure white, there wasn’t a hint of red, which was surprising to Daisy, she hadn't never seen anyone with eyes like his before.  
The metal armed man looked at her, his face unreadable.  
“Let me go…please.” Daisy found herself saying. “I don’t want to be a part of Hydra.”  
His head tilted to stand as he looked at her, as if processing something internally, his lips pushed together tightly and but his eyes never left their hold on her.  
“I am not a part of Hydra.” He said firmly.  
With that he stood up and walked back towards the cockpit leaving Daisy where she sat, unmoving.  
Still looking to where he had just been, Daisy heard and felt the Quinjet begin to jolt and shake itself alive, then begun to start off from the ground. Everywhere around her begun to shake and the Quinjet lifted.  
Sat there, Daisy thought; He is not Hydra, the asset is no longer a part of Hydra. But…what is he then?  
From inside the cockpit of the Quinjet the metal armed man, former Hydra assassin, former Hydra asset, let his hands squeeze around the controls as he remembered the words that had been spoken to him, words that gave him strength and the need to do what he was doing;  
_“Your name is James Bachan Barnes...”_


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the 'start' of where i try to organise the events where Captain American 2 and this story meet, i use the word try loosely.

**One Year Eariler**  
**_Washington_**  
The morning so far for all had been like a step back in time, Alexander Pierce had woken up to find both his daughters downstairs in the kitchen laughing and eating breakfast, he had heard them as he had come down the stairs, at first feeling alarmed at the sound of people in his house, usually the Pierce household was peaceful and quiet but since Daisy had come home, the atmosphere and feeling of the house had become less museum like and more like what it had once been.  
“You do know he still adores you Cat.” Daisy teased with a laugh.  
“Ugh,” Caitlin replied with a snort. “That was a long time ago Daise, how could you remember that?”  
“Because the poor man was a lost puppy around you, he-“ Daisy started when she saw her Father walk into the kitchen, a happy smirk on his face as he went to the already brewed coffee machine and poured himself a cup.  
Chiming together, the Pierce girl said. “Good morning Dad.”  
Coffee cup in hand, smile on his face, he looked at his two adult daughters, both like night and dark, one tall fair the other short dark, Daisy sat at their dinning table eating cereal, Caitlin stood behind the counter cooking scrambled eggs, both smiling at him. “Good morning girls. Can’t remember the last time we’ve had breakfast together and either one of you have woking up before me.”  
Getting up from her seat at the table and walking over to her father, Daisy gave him a hug. “We thought we’d surprise you, we’re going to take you out for the day and spoil you.”  
Hugging Daisy but looking at Caitlin as he spoke. “Sorry hun, I have to go into Shield today, there’s too much going on for a day off I’m afraid.”  
Her expressing turning serious and worried Caitlin Pierce asked. “Anything I can help with?”  
“Yes.” Pierce said with a nod. “Both of you can help me.”  
Daisy looked up at her Father. “But it’s Saturday, you need a day off. Plus, what can i do to help besides getting in the way?”  
Alexander Pierce smiled down at his youngest daughter. “Flower, today I’m going to show you part of the work Caitlin and I have been working doing, the work that going to change everything for the better.”  
“Dad…” Caitlin said looked sternly at her Father. “Are you sure about this, i thought that we were going to make arrangements first?”  
Ignoring the look on his eldest daughter’s face, Pierce continued to smile down at his daughter, in his blue eyes that was an element of long forgotten joy and excitement that had been replaced with work ethic and steel sense of responsibility to the cause he was fighting for and against. “Its like you said Cat, it’s time for Daisy to bought in…to see our work.”  
“Am I going to have to sit in on meeting and take minutes Dad?” Daisy Pierce teased.  
Standing from her chair and moving over, Caitlin Pierce looked down at her sister, with a happy smile on her face. “Daisy, don’t be ridiculous, we’re show you the real Shield and everything that we’ve been working for.”  
Flicking her gaze back and forth from her Father and sister, Daisy smiled. “Okay, let’s make a day of it, after we can go to get ice-cream, like we used to.”  
Both Alexander Pierce and Caitlin Pierce gave each other a sly look at each other, a smile playing on their lips, knowing what was going to happen that day and how this was the start of the future for them all now.  
The start of the change was going to begin that day, Daisy Pierce wasn’t even aware.

 ** _Washington, The Triskelion_**  
Traveling in to Shield central Washington Headquarters couldn’t have been more perfect, the weather was warm but not too warm, the drive from Normanstone Park in Washington to The Triskelion was short and easy, the lack of traffic meant that they only stopped at the lights that lead them towards the Potomac.  
Like they would have done years before, Daisy sat in the backseat of the car, whilst Caitlin and Alexander Pierce sat in the front, with Pierce driving. There was no music in the car, every so often they would start talking to fill the silence, but the Pierce family, there being only three now, never had issues with silences. Every so often Caitlin looked over at her Father with an enquiring look. Throughout her adult life, Caitlin had never not known what her Father was planning, as his closest confidant, there wasn’t a word or a notion that her Father gave that she didn’t know what it meant, having been working within the circles and situation they both did, it was necessary and practical in doing so.  
As they drove they went past dozens of familiar sites that Daisy recalled happy memory she had had as a child, Washington was a busy city, that as child never lacked for activities and things to keep Daisy busy and mind active.  
“Hey Dad, why don’t we go to the Smithsonian tomorrow, we can try and find Grandpa in some of those pictures, its gotten some really good reviews.” Daisy said brightly from behind her Father and sister.  
“Hmmm,” Pierce answered with as he turned a corner that lead to be directly in front of The Triskelion. “We’ll see Princess.” The entrance to the grand building was similar to entering into a either a Castle or Prison, both grand, great and guarded heavily.  
Driving over on the bridge above the Potomac, Daisy looked down at it with fascination and curiosity, of all the buildings she had seen in her life, from the far east, the far west, ancient building and artistic architectural marvels that define the creators of their time, The Triskelion, was one of a kind, since she had first seen it being built and taken shape from all the old factories that had stood, and been modernised under different governments, before Shield had come in and taken over under the guise of the being a known political power but really as Shield, it was building in a place with the pretense there was nothing to hide, but she knew there was.  
Every aspect of the building was impressive, the morning light reflected and bounced off the river and building, giving it a hollow effect, causing it to look more impressive.  
Smiling to herself, Daisy knew full well, that her Father would want to go to the Smithsonian with her, it had been his idea to begun with to go there, she knew that he had lent them some her Grandfather belongs to show in the exhibition, to give people an idea what it was like to be in 101st Airborne Division in World War II.  
Coming into the building through the car-park Daisy had a sudden thought of how much of The Triskelion she was going to see today and thinking what she was Hong to be shown, would it be some model for defence system to help in the protection of Earth, since the battle in New York last year Daisy had found her Father and Sister had been busy then ever, conversation and messages took days and weeks to completed or started, her Father’s traveling internationally to help with funding and meeting was more prominent than she had ever known it and as for her sister, Caitlin Pierce’s work was even more secretive than ever before, with not even the most basic of coded conversations between the sister occurring, telling Daisy then it was far beyond anything she had known them working on.  
Alexander Piece parked his vehicle in a prominent but hidden place in the car park, around his vehicle were other similar four wheel drive black or silver cars, all clean, new and all separated from the other vehicles. This stuck in Daisy mind as odd, there was nothing usual about this, higher up members of Shield would have separate areas to park, but from against a wall in a place from away from the exist seemed odd. She stood still looking at the wall that the car was park in front of, something seemed off still, she couldn’t put her finger on it though.  
“Daisy.” Alexander Piece said next to her as she looked at the wall. “Everything okay?”  
Looking back at her father she titled her to the stand and said. “That wall…its not real is it?”  
A smile formed on Pierce’s face. “Thats correct Flower.” He walked towards the wall and run his hand over it, a small flicker of light followed his hand, then after a moment the wall moved up and away to reveal a entrance. “What was the give away?”  
Daisy stepped next to her father and touched the wall. “The wall had two panels to it, theu didn’t match, the door was made to look like cement but it was painted and warped.”  
“That all?” Caitlin asked, hands behind her back, looking at her sister as if she testing her.  
“No….” Daisy smiled. “I also know Dad hates parking in front of walls and wouldn’t choose to unless he had to.”  
“Very good.” Piece smiled. “Old military habit I picked up from your Grandfather.” Extending his hand towards the inside of entrance Pierce smiled at both his daughter. “Shall we?”  
Entering into the Triskelion from her Father’s specialised entrance was novel to Daisy, she found herself in front of her Father and Sister, walking through the metal tunnel into the base of the building. Daisy felt the floor was slopped and instead of going up or straight they were entering further down into the building, not at all alarm at this, as there was no need to be, she continued on, until she came to another doorway. Stepping in front of her Alexander Pierce did two things, he waved his hand of an ultraviolent light beam and then punched in a code in a 3D panel that slide out.  
In what Daisy knew to be her sister’s professional tone, Caitlin Piece said. “After New York everything has been reevaluated, reassessed, reviewed and reproduced. Everything in the last year has been stepped up and there is nothing that we don’t have control of anymore. We’re almost perfect.”  
The door in front of them opened.  
“We just have to put them in the field and we’re ready.” Caitlin continued.  
Stepping through the doorway Daisy was greeted by the giant underground of the Triskelion, which she had always known was where aircrafts were kept, but instead of just the Quinjets she had grown accustom to seeing, there in the forecourt of hundreds of combat ready Quintets and where they had entered in were right underneath one was 3 giant Helicarriers, fully armed with heavy gunnery, black, shiny and menacing.  
Finding her mouth opening Daisy could only look up. There amount of armoury from below was unbelievable, nearly every inch was covered with weapons. Around her dozens of people worked, cargo filled with probably more gunnery, everyone was carrying on as if the sight in front was nothing out the ordinary.  
“This…” Alexander Pierce said proudly standing next to Daisy. “Is Project Insight. The next step in World Security and fully erasing any and all threats. These are next generation Helicarriers.”  
Still looking up Daisy asked. “Dad, are you expecting another Alien invasion any time soon?”  
Chuckling from behind Caitlin replied. “We’re always expecting an alien invasion Daise, this is just to keep the peace on Earth and stopped any likelihood of what we’ve seen of the last few years.”  
Twist around away from the sight before her, she found her Father and Sister staring at her intensely, with the same serious look in their steel blue eyes. “What’s that then?”  
“Aliens fighting their wars here, involving us.” Pierce said.  
“Scientists turning themselves in genetic mutations and destroying cities.” Caitlin chimed in.  
“Billionaires making armoured suits and terrorists trying to steal them, causing havoc and death in the process.” Pierce continued.  
“Scientists trying to make themselves Gods and fool the world that they are one.” Caitlin spite angrily.  
Looking back and forth at the two of them, Daisy had never seen the look the two had on their faces, angry, sterns and determined faces. “What are you talking about? You think that threatening people with giant guns is going to stop all that happening again? This won't stop that from happening, this make people frightened and angry.”  
Alexander Pierce stepped towards his youngest daughter and put his hand on her shoulder. “No Flower, it won’t stop people trying but it will show people that we have the control and that we are in charge, on Earth and to anyone else who comes trying to take over. With these,” pointing with his free hand to the Helicarrier above them, "we will show that we know what is best for everyone."  
A cold physical and mental shake run through Daisy’s body as she looked up her Father, the words he was saying, how he was saying them were frightening because behind her she knew he meant them and he had the means and the weapons in which to do so. Daisy was dumbfounded, she knew had to talk to people, to negotiate and to revolve but standing in front of her Father and sister, at that moment Daisy could not find the words to argue, to protest, to question, to even try to fathom what or how they thought what they were was right, she could not think where to begin.  
Instead she found herself looking at her father, looking into his eyes and seeing someone she didn’t know, and for the first time she felt truly frightened, right down to the core of her being, that her Father, and her sister, were the creators/orchestrators of the monstrous armoured flying vehicles of death behind her and felt what they were doing was for the good of all.  
For Daisy then, everything changed.  
But this was only the start of the change, this was only the tip of what was to come.


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter to add Avengers characters because I really want them in this story.

**Brooklyn, New York.**  
**_Present Day._**  
The door to the apartment came crashing inwards to the apartment with an almighty thud.  
“I think the door was meant to open outwards Steve.” Came a voice through the doorway.  
“Sorry about that.” Stepping into the apartment Steve Rogers walked in, wearing casual clothes but holding his shield ready, having used it to help break in but still holding ready for an form of attack or assault that could come his way.  
Following behind Steve Rogers Bruce Banner walked in, unlike Rogers he was undefended but looked fatigued and worried, his usual neat clothes looked crumbled and as if they had been slept in, his unruly curly hair looked as he had thrown his fingers through more than a dozen times that day. Stepping over the broken remains of the broken door Bruce Banner turned and scanned the room, the look of worry only increased. Letting out a pained exhale, he looked at Rogers. “I knew it, she’s gone and she’ been taken. Its my fault, I could of never listened to Stark.”  
“Bruce,” Rogers started, “don’t blame yourself, we took all the precautions we could, Daisy knew the risks when she left the tower.”  
Shaking his head, Banner looked down to the ground. “She trusted me Steve, she came to me for help and I let her down.”  
Rogers put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find her Bruce, Tony is already doing all he can, we just have to….”  
Bruce Banner knelt down to the floor, looking intensely at something.  
“What is it?” Rogers said.  
Reaching over, Banner put his hand on a foot print, left on the floor by feet/shoes which had walked in mud or dirt and had left very clear mark in the beige carpet. The size of his hands covered the mark, the mark was quite sizeable and from the width, not just a normal foot print but boot sized and military issued type.  
“Hydra.” Banner breathed.  
Looking around the ground from where he stood, Roger realised something. “Only one type of foot print.” Moving around and into the bedroom to his right, Steve Rogers scanned quickly. “If this was Hydra the would be more, people, this was someone else Banner.”  
Jumping up from where he crouched, Banner run towards the open window of the apartment, the thin white curtain blowing gently in the cold window breeze, the sound of cars and New York City outside eased itself into the room. Breathing heavily, holding his palms together, Banner looked out the window, if anyone had looked at his eyes the quicks flicks of his iris changing from his normal gentle brown eyes to pulsing deep green as Doctor Banner tried to calm himself down.  
“Do you need to smash something Bruce?” Rogers asked helpful from behind.  
Taking a deep breath, the last few remains of his pulsing surge of angry begun to find Banner replied. “No…thank you. I just…need a moment.”  
Nodding Rogers looked in through the doorway of Daisy bedroom. It was then he noticed the clothes on her bed, thrown all over. “Clothes, she took clothes. Whoever took her wanted to make sure she had clothes, which means there traveling.”  
“Which means that it’ll be harder to find her.” Banner said.  
“Bruce, whoever has her doesn’t want any harm to come to her, if they didn’t why would they want her to have clothes, they could have just grabbed her and gone.” Rogers told him. “We know she has value to some pretty important people in Hydra, they won’t kill her Bruce.”  
Running his fingers through his hairs Bruce turned back to face Steve. A new look of determination on his face. “Who has ever taken her, i’m going to Hulkanise them into tiny pieces and shoot them off into space.”  
“Whatever makes you happy Doc.” Rogers replied. “I’m sure Stark would love to help on that one.”  
“Come-on.” Bruce said starting towards the door. “We have to find out if there’s security footage of anyone Hydraesque being around here in the last 12 hours.”  
“Bruce…” Roger said following him then stopping. “If it Bucky…”  
Banner stopped and looked at him.  
“No Hulkanising…not without letting me talk to him.”  
“You still think your friend is in there? After all these years?” Banner asked.  
“Yes…I do.” Rogers told him. “But promise me, if it is Bucky you’ll won’t do anything like pummel him to pieces and then off into space..”  
“Rogers…they took my friend.” Banner looked at him. “All I want is her back safe and the rest…we can sort out when she’s safe. Okay?”  
Nodding, satisfied Rogers replied. “Okay.”  
Both man stepped over the broken door again to exist. As he left Rogers looked over the doorway and remarked. “They sure don’t build things to last nowadays, never seen a door crumble like that, all i did was just tap it.”  
“Your not just called Captain America for your golden boy looks Steve.” Banner said back to as he went down the stairs. “You are a star spangled man.”  
Rolling his eyes. “I’m never going to live down that song.”  
“Nope.” Banner yelled back to him.


	7. 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically where I begin my whole new take on events and what actual was happening with Alexander Pierce. A very short Chapter, which ends very quickly I know.

**Washtington _,_** _ **The Triskelion**_.

Looking out to the Hellicarriers as she and her family traveled in the elevator. Daisy stood silently, the elevator ascending up past the lower levels and out into the mid-morning weekend sun. The relief coming from the fluorescent lighting and the armoured machines downstairs caused Daisy to inhale a welcomed relieved breath, glad of being out of there, away from the sight of it all, unsure whether she could manage much longer down there.  
Standing behind her, from left to right, Alexander Pierce and Caitlin Pierce observed Daisy.  
“Are you alright FLower?” Pierce asked.  
“Umm…” Daisy looked down at the floor and found herself squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. “Yeah, I’m fine Dad.”  
Caitlin Pierce who had been almost as quiet as her sister, looked at her Father as she spoke. “Do you want to see more Daisy?”  
“More…” Daisy turned around to them. Her tiny frame looking up at the two of them, like a small child, her face was shocked and her eyes wide open. “you have more…?”  
“Yes.” Pierce nodded. “A lot more.”  
Daisy swallowed and just looked at them.  
The office of Alexander Pierce was located on the highest floor of The Triskelion, each floor was specialised and used for different purposes, the floor that Pierce was based was solely his own, meeting room, lounge and dinning area and even a place that, if needed Pierce could sleep. Only specialised members of Shield were given access to the floor, but only an more specialised number were granted access into his office. Stepping out of the elevator, both Caitlin and Pierce were cleared by their biometric identifies, which identified them quickly before Daisy had even noticed the female computerised voice granted them access and then identified her “Doctor Daisy Pierce” and told her she granted access.  
Alexander Pierce laid the way, coming out of the elevator and turning a corner and walking down a corridor which was covered in small black and red Japanese inspired paintings and artwork, Daisy had a quick thought that the pictures were very much in the same taste she knew her Father liked. Behind Pierce, Daisy followed and then by Caitlin.As they came towards Pierce’s office, the door opened automatically for them.

Allowing Daisy first, he ushered her in. Walking into his office, Daisy looked around the room and stopped in the centre. The room was organised in a circler way, the desk being the most prominent part, being in the centre, turned to the south so that his desk had a view of the Washington skyline and the cityscape. Everything was either black or grey, with a small hint of red from the orchid, the photo frame, simple red large painting and slight red in the carpet, from which Daisy found herself standing the middle of a giant red circle, with black spirals around it, so that it looked similar, it reminded her of Islamic works of art she had seen. Daisy looked at it but couldn’t figure out where she had seen it.  
From the doorway, Caitlin and her Father were talking quietly briefly. Daisy tried to hear something, but she knew that she was not meant to hear anything, for the briefest of seconds she thought she caught a word in German, but she couldn’t be sure.  
Walking into his office, Pierce extended his hand to the chair nearest the desk and told his daughter to sit. Daisy did so and said nothing.  
Her mind was still spiralling with thousands thoughts, she had tried to put logic to it all, try to think maybe what she had just seen wasn’t as drastic as her instincts had made it, of course Shield had always had weapons, they had needed them in times when unusual occurrences had happened, where protecting the security and safety of the public was most important, to claim she was ignorant of that fact would be a lie, as much as Daisy had never been a part of any military training or knowledge, she understood to maintain peace and security scare tactics had had to be used, such when she went into Warzones to help the most vulnerable and she was guarded and guilded by armoured soldiers, who weren’t there to kill anyone but to stop anymore killings by allowing medical help and assistance through, she knew that weapons that could kill weren’t always to be used but to be used just in case of any extreme circumstances.  
Pierce leant against the edge his desk and stood in front of Daisy’s chair, he pushed his finger to lip and made a thinking hum noise.  
“Daisy,” He started. “Do you know much about snakes?”  
“Pardon?” She frowned looking at him, completely unsure of why her father was asking her that.  
“Snakes, Princess.” Pierce replied. “One of the best and most efficient creatures in the world.”  
“Okay…” Daisy replied.  
“They can lay under ground for days, waiting.” Pierce said.  
Looking at her Father with concern, not understanding why he was talking about snakes, hoping it was going to led to a metaphor (which her father metaphors and smilies were usually based around baseball or footballs games). “Waiting for what Dad?”  
“To strike Princess.” Pierce said plainly.  
Leaning over on his desk, Pierce flicked a tabs on a 3D screen and the wall opposite came to life with a projection of cluster of stars, blue, yellow, red and silver came to life before her, at first all still, before the image zoomed into one area particular area that Daisy could see as a formation faintly, that was circled and morphed around to show more clearly to her. “This is the constellation of Hydra, its was one of largest and most recognised constellation in all astrology, from Greek, Hindu, Chinese, Japanese, Cantonese, Egyptian have all written about what they think this constellation to signify. Some came close…but none understood Princess.”  
The image in front of her twisted and turned over, an outlining of the shape of a snake or dragon, either in the design of Chinese art or Greek mythological design or Egyptian took shape, showing Daisy that the constellation had been an been absorbed into the different cultures and different ideas and stories created for it. This was an interesting fact, but not something that was new to Daisy, such things with stars were common. Looking at the image before her, she found herself being drawn to head of the image, tilting her head to look at it.  
“Your mother used to love astrology y’know.” Pierce said as he looked at his daughter, arms crossed over his chest. “She used to love going to look at the sky through the telescope at Goldendale, she would stand there for hours and hours, it was one of the last places she wanted to go to before she died.”  
Daisy turned around from the image and to look at her Father’s face, for the briefest of seconds he had a thoughtful look on his face, remembering past moments with his deceased wife, to a different times and to a different Alexander Piece.  
Shaking his head, he unfolded his hands and flicked the panel on his desk and caused the image of the constellation to turn into sparkly display of stars, the image surfing over them towards what would be the head of so called Hydra snake of the image that Daisy had been drawn to. “A long time ago, a man wanted to use science to create a world that would existence under the perfect supervision and understanding of those that wanted the Human race to process further, better, to help sped up the evolutionally cycle so that human would go out into the Stars and be more than servants to ourselves and simple wait for a race to come and take over us again.”  
Experience of her Father’s talks had told her that talking now would only cause what he was saying becoming confused, so Daisy kept quiet.  
“That man was Johann Schmidt.” Alexander Pierce said. “He was known as Red Skull. The leader of Hydra.”  
“Dad…” Daisy said, not being able to stay silent. “What had this got to with Snakes, Constellation and what you…”  
She stopped then, staring up her Father then, looking at the man she admired most in the world, the man she only known to be caring and had worked for Shield longer then he had been alive working to protect the world and it people.  
“…showed me earlier…” Daisy finished.  
She looked back to the constellation of Stars which had now turned red, into a burning image before her of changed from the various feeble images of cultural differing Snakes into multiple sprayed flat image from the tail up towards where the Head where there was tentacles spread out from around the head, which was burning red skull shape, slowly but slightly the tentacle of the image moved.  
“Hydra, Daisy.” Pierce told her. “I am finishing the work that Red Skull started 70years, but your sister and I have so much more planned.”  
Looking away from the image and her Father, she looked outside the window to the impress view of Washington.  
“Ashlesha…” Daisy thought outlaid. “My middle name…you always told me that it was because Mum wanted to gives us names to do with Stars. Caitlin…her middle is Bharani…”  
“Yes…” Alexander Pierce smiled. “You are clever Daisy, I only have to tell you a few things and you already know.”  
Sat there then Daisy and only wish at that moment she had stayed at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ashlesha; Hindu Astrology known as the Hydra.
> 
> Bharani; Hindu Astrology, known as a Cruel or Active nakshatra.


	8. 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter am trying to show the part of the schizophrenic and tortured personality of Bucky Barnes,

**Russia**  
_**5989.77 Miles From New York**_  
The Quinjet traveled on further, what Daisy could only guess was further into Russia, hours past but Daisy didn’t know how many. The silence between the two was still tense, Daisy shifted herself every so often to stop her legs cramping up and try to wake her body up, so it wouldn’t fall asleep on her. Every once and a while she would look over to The Metal Armed Man, wondering if he was going to talk or do anything, as so far she had not seen him do anything other than kidnap her, threaten her and offer little conversation. Did he sleep? Did he eat? Did he ever take a moment to stretch or do anything…un-robotic?  
Looking at her feet for the hundredth time, looking at the marks on her boots and where the different thick materials and fabrics met, Daisy tried to not think but to no avail. It was then that the light from the front of the Quinjet changed, as they left daylight into something else. Looking up, she could just about see they glided into somewhere and descended into darkness, then the Quinjet sat itself down and Daisy could feel the motion of the jet ceasing to operate and shutting its engines off.  
For a moment The Quinjet’s pilot did nothing but sit in his sit still. Saying nothing.  
Daisy had to wonder whether he had shut himself down like the Quinjet.  
Instead though, wordlessly and not looking at her, the man stood up and walked over to the hatch of the Quinjet, opened it and simply walk out, leaving Daisy in the dim illumination of the Quinjet in silence.  
Is this a trick? Or am I going to be left here for good now? Daisy thought.  
Stretching her fingers she tried to fidget and see how tight her bounds were and indeed they were still as tight as they were as when he tied them.  
Damn boyscout ties too good knots. Daisy thought bitterly.  
Signing to herself, she leant more against the wall panel behind her, looking upwards and wanting to wish herself away.  
A brief moment later again the hatch opened and the Metal Armed Man walked in holding something, stumping over to her in his boots, he took her by the arm, pulled her up, cut through the binds on her ankles and arms, then passed the item to her.  
“Wear this.” He said looking at her directly in the eye. “If you don’t you’ll freeze and die.”  
Looking at it in her hands, it felt softer than anything she had ever felt, a beautiful mixture of golden blonde, autumn brown and tinted with gentle red was long hooded fur coat, with length and ruffles of some different fashion she didn’t, even its mass was surprising light.  
“Its fur…” Daisy said slowly, holding it both hands away from herself. “I can’t wear this…its fur.”  
The Metal Armed Man simply looked at her. Saying nothing, his eyes simply looking her with no emotion.  
“Its fur…its wrong…it…” Daisy stopped herself, knowing giving an impassioned speech about the fur trade right then and there was both ridiculous and counter productive.  
Grabbing the coat from her hands swiftly The Metal Armed Man throw the coat over her head, letting the hood land on her head.  
Without another word, she put her hands in to the arm of the coat, letting her fingers just touch the tip of the cuff of the coat. Daisy had to admit, it was extremely warm, she pulled the coat closer and went to fiddle with trying to find the button to close it but she was taken by her right arm by her kidnapper and walk out of the Quinjet.  
At least I’m not being carried like a sandbag. Daisy thought.  
Stepping out of the Quinjet Daisy found that they were now in an old abandoned airfield hanger. The stiff dank smell of rusted metal and water hung heavy in the air, causing Daisy to rub her nose, the place had been abandoned for a while it seemed, growing in rust and ruin. From the high up broken windows the cold winter snow wind blew in and swirled around the large empty space, making a eerie echo hollow-like whistling noise around the hanger and making the lose hanging broken lighting fitting from the ceiling shape and shudder around themselves, knocking into each other with rust clang and bang. From where Daisy stood she could only see one sole lite part of the hanger off in the far distance, a dim yellow, an emergency light towards somewhere else. Her kidnapper gave her a moment to look, then begun to guild her to the light off in the distance, walking over the abandon metals scraps of machinery and tools, over the various oily puddles and to the light, Daisy could see the outline doorway, an edging of light escaping through the creaks in the door, as dim as it building light but not as yellowed tinged.  
The doorway was not far from the corner, there was no signs or intention of what was inside, simply the double shut doors. Reaching out the metal with hand he pulled the door open with a handle Daisy couldn’t see in the light, flinging both doors open to reveal stairs descending down, the light that come through the doorframe was from below, where Daisy could see it escaping from.  
Giving her arm a squeeze and leading her down, Daisy steadied herself, worried she would stumble down, but the grip of her kidnapper gave her balance despite their height difference between the two as they walked. Mentally Daisy counted the stairs, noticing the width of the steps were steep and wide, all in all she counted 24 steps before the entered into a large light room.  
Inside Daisy found herself inside a solid cemented square room, 50 by 50 square foot, no window or other visible doors, alite by 2 large LED standing light bars from left to right, the space was scattered with more military wears, black boxes (gun boxes), 2 table, 1 with an open and switched on laptop, surrounding by a few knives of various types and styles, a military sleeping cot with a sleeping bag on the ground next to it, another table with a few metal cups, plates and unopened tins with labels in Russian and on the far wall, right in the centre was a large map, with various coloured pins and marks all over it.  
Whilst taking in her surroundings Daisy didn’t notice that her kidnapper had let go of her arm, traveled back upstairs and slammed the door and bolted it shut with an all mighty clang with rang back down the stairs from behind her.  
Turning back to face him she saw his blank face and cold eyes, she swallowed and pulled herself closer into the huge coat.  
Moving past her he walked to the table where to the left which the metal cups and plates were. Taking one of the tins he pulled out a knife from his side, stabbed the tin, pulled and open it, then poured its content in a pan, turned away from her view and placed it on to something. Peeking slightly she saw that her kidnapper had a generator in front of him, a large green military bulky one, that came up to his middle, on top which Daisy could see a small stove (whether it was placed on there permanently or temporary she couldn’t tell).  
“Sit.” He told her facing away from her whilst he busied himself with his stove.  
Looking from left to right Daisy tried to see a chair or something to sit on, she could only see one stool in front of the open laptop which was not far from him and nothing else, feeling worried she wasn’t allowed looked at but asked “Where?”  
Still not facing her he pointed to the stool not far from him on his right near the laptop.  
Unsurely she walked over to the stool and sat, finding that it was quite high up, as her feet dangled over and she had to jump herself on to it. Sitting there, she tried to not let her feet swing over the edge. Again she pulled the coat closer. The room wasn’t very cold, the light from the LED bar lights, though not to full illumination gave off some warmth in the room, but the cemented room didn’t retain the warm it held, escaping away into it’s walls. It definitely not a room which was made to lived in as it seemed to be by the Metal Armed Man.  
Trying her past Daisy tried to look at the screen of the laptop without seeming to but when she looked at screen she could only see a web page entirely in Russian, where not a single word was understood by Daisy, so instead she took to looking at the ground, to the grey concrete floor. At first there was nothing but the concrete but her eyes found a the crack of a line in the concrete that her eyes followed up towards where the military cot stood, underneath the sleeping bag to where it stopped, she frowned for a moment at the crack, but then thought nothing of it.  
“Eat.” Said The Metal Armed Man as he slammed the laptop shut, shoved it over the table and placed a metal plate with fork in front of Daisy.  
His words made her jump, she’d never seen anyone move and do anything as fast as him. She looked down at the food in front of her and tilted her head to the side puzzled, it was strange red brown colour, thick and steaming hot.  
“What is it?”  
“тушёнка.” He replied.  
“Which is…?” Daisy said slowly, knowing her quota for asking questions to him was probably already met.  
“Meat Stew.” With an annoyed exhaled his told her.  
“Oh…” Daisy said, looking at the food in front of her. “Its just…I’m a vegetarian.”  
“What?” He asked.  
“Vegetarian, I don’t eat meat.” She explained.  
“I know what a vegetarian is!” He hissed at her. He glared her, his lips pressed together in annoyance.  
Still looking at the food she found herself saying. “Thank you though…but I can’t eat it.”  
Again he stood still, not moving or saying anything, simply looking at her. Daisy could feel his eyes looking at her, so she kept her gaze downwards to the thick red stew.  
Spinning on his heels the Metal Armed Man went back to the table with the cups and plates, grabbed another tin, opened it with his knife, poured it into a bowl and walked back over to her, pushed the metal plate of stew away and put the bowl down with a spoon in front of her.  
“Eat.” He said again, more sternly.  
Looking at it she could found tinned fruit, pinapple, peaches, cherries and grapes in thick syrup.  
Daisy pushed up the long sleeves of the fur coat and took the bowl in her hands.  
“Thank you.” She said, still not looking at him.  
Not replying the metal armed man turned and walked away from her. He then sat down on the floor near one of the black cases, opened it and begun to busy himself with it.  
Admittedly Daisy thought the fruit salad was overly sugary, their was too much syrup it in, the actual taste of the fruit was overpowered, but she was pleased to have something to eat. As she ate, she kept her gaze away from her kidnapper, instead watching as the steam of the cooked meat stew vanished as it grew colder and developed a skin on top of it. When she finished she put the bowl back on the table rubbed her sticky syrupy hands together and pulled herself into the coat.  
Noticing she was finished, The Metal Armed Man stood up, took her finished bowl and the uneaten stew back to the table, placed them down.  
“The cot is yours to sleep in.” He said facing away from her. “Its 2100.”  
Looking over to the cot, Daisy didn’t move. She was tired but she wasn’t sure if she willing to sleep in the enclosed room with her kidnapper. Biting her lip she geared herself to speak, she inhaled a breath in preparation but couldn’t find the words. She tried again to speak but instead her kidnapper said. “Sleep now, we’re only going to be staying here for the night.”  
“And then…?” She asked.  
This time he turned to face her, twisting his head around and looked at her with stern but unreadable face.  
“We begin.”  
Both looked into each other’s eyes, it was only for a few seconds but it felt longer, his eyes revealed nothing, they were empty from his thoughts and feelings, looking into them unnerved Daisy, there was nothing Daisy could take from them to help to know anything and she knew that he would not be answering any more questions and to ask anymore would only antagonise him more than he was already was. Daisy was the one who broke the gaze, she jumped from the stool and walked over to cot, again pulling the oversized coat closer she laid down on to the cot, facing the wall, so not to face the direction of her kidnapper. Settling herself onto the cot, she pulled her legs up close to herself, cocooned herself within the coat, pulling the hood over head and covering her face, she closed her eyes and did all she could to try to try and allow sleep to begin, knowing full well that sleep was highly unlikely to come easily.  
Despite everything, the unease, the uncertainty, the fear, the cold and stiffness of the cot, Daisy found herself drifting off to sleep, it happened so gradually that she didn’t even know. There was no dreams, but her body calmed and relaxed enough that her eyes remained shut and the silence of sleep engulfed her.  
At first it came muffled into Daisy ears it did not to pull her out of her sleep, it was somewhere in the background far away, but as it grew louder, her senses reawakened and the sound become enhanced in her ears. The sound of someone hissing and almost growling lowly woke her fully. Her eyes flick opened, the hood of the coat still covered her, encasing her in temporary darkness. Eyes open she listened further to the noise. A angry throaty noise came from behind her and a words that she couldn’t tell were English or not followed. Very slowly she turned herself over, trying hard to not make any noise from the cot as she did so.  
What she found was across the room, on the floor, laying on top of, not inside of, the sleeping bag was her kidnapper, he laying his side, his flesh arm beneath him, his hands were twitching, his free arms pulled near his chest, his legs spasming slightly, his face was contorted with emotions, his eyes were closed shut.  
The Metal Armed Man was having a nightmare..  
Gently Daisy swung her leg over the cot and looked at him, he gave another throaty almost yell and cursed in another language, it caused Daisy to shake from shock. She looked at him and then at the stairs up out to where the doors lead to where the Quinjet was, then back to him.  
Well that’s not going to work. She thought bitterly. There’s no way he could have not locked those doors.  
“Grraawwww….” Came a painful sound from her kidnapper.  
Daisy felt sad for her kidnapper, his dream was obviously far from pleasant and most likely was memory based nightmare, which was heavily affecting him.  
“No….” He said whimpered. “No…stop it…no…”  
Because of her medical and Doctoring instincts Daisy stood up, she did it so quickly she didn’t think about it, she looked at his twisted contorted body, which was beginning to shake and shudder slowly.  
Shouting aggressively The Metal Armed shrieked. “нет , пожалуйста!”  
Slowly she walked over to him, she walked lightly on his feet. Swallowing she said in a gentle voice. “Hey…its okay…”  
What am I doing?! Part of her mind wildly thought. Leave him be, there’s nothing you can do.  
Another throaty scream pained noise escape him, the noise shook her as she walked, not just from how terrible it sounded but because it sounded familiar to her. She was a few feet away from him, she crouched now and said gently. “Its okay…its…”  
Before Daisy could try to comfort him she saw his face contorted angrily, as something has happened to now enrage him, he gritted his teeth together, showing them slightly. Then she heard something that if she had realised what it was could of possible meant the end of her then and there.  
A sound of click and buzzing came from him and before Daisy knew it, her kidnapper threw himself up, swinging his metal arm with his fist clenched outside towards Daisy.  
Instinctually Daisy pushed herself backwards, pushing herself down to the ground away from the directed height of the swing. It was just inches away from the metal punch to her face, the way he propelled himself and threw his powerful metal arm had closed the gap between them and caused the swing to be more lethal.  
Almost at the same time they landed, Daisy landing on her backside, sliding slightly so she was almost to the far wall, and The Metal Armed Man bearing down on the floor with his hand coming clashing on to the cemented floor with a heavy powerful thud.  
Gasping for breath from the shock, the hood of the coat just about covered her eyes, but still gave her view a of her kidnapper, who was not far from her, on his knees with his palms pressed to the ground, head facing down, his dark long hair hanging down the side of his face.  
Heavily he breathed, his chest rising and falling from where he was. Slowly he lifted up his head to look at Daisy. She expected to see his angry face, burning with a fire, she almost thought something dramatic like flames would be coming from his month. But instead his face was filled with shock and remorse, he looked at her, sweat running down his pale face, his eyes no longer empty and cold, but pained and painful to look at.  
“I’m so sorry.” He said to her in low said voice, a voice she had never heard from him. “I’m so sorry…”  
Looking at him, she didn’t move, she just looked directly at him, frightened and unsure.  
With his metal armed he reached out towards her, there was distance between them but Daisy felt a jolt of fear and she pushed herself backwards more towards the wall behind her with her backside, she breathed heavily with fear as she did so.  
“I’m sorry…please…I didn’t mean to…” He said, arm still reaching out as he shuffled on his knee towards her.  
Pressed up against the wall, she pulled her legs up to her chest, trying to defend herself almost, he saw the mournful look in his face, desperate for forgiveness, reaching out with shiny metal arm towards her. Shaking she put her head between her knees, letting the hood of the coat fall over her, hiding her and hiding the sight before her of her kidnapper reaching out to her.  
1…2…3…4…5 She counted in her head. 6…7…8…9…10  
Arm still reaching out The Metal Armed Man looked at her, as she cowered away from him, hiding from him like a small child. Sweat run down his face. He pulled himself up to his knees and looked at her, his face slowly changed in a blank, dead, empty face, his breathing slowing, the rhythm of his breath easing. Slowly he pulled his metal arm back to his side and swallowed one last breath as he looked at Daisy against the wall, terrified.  
Lowering his head to the floor, he stood himself from the ground, he kept his head down, his clenched his hands in fists at his sides, then with quick strides he run up the stairs out to the doors above with a massive bang to open and massive bang to shut them.  
11…12…13…14  
She knew that he had left but she didn’t move, she simply pulled her legs sightly closer and tried gradually to slow her breath and eventually stopped her counting.  
Upstairs The Metal Armed Man run out of the hanger, outside into the Russian Winter snow, he bolted and run before felling to the ground and giving out a almighty pained shrieked that in the empty cold forest that surround their secret location echoed, if anyone heard the sound they would of mistaken it for any injured or dying animal in the forest. No-one would ever think that the sound then was the sound of the Fist Of Hydra or the world’s best most secretive assassin screaming out in tortured agonising mental pain then…no-one could have ever known.


	9. 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter setting up the history of the story....lord i desperate want to start the real action action.

One Year Earliier  
Washington, The Triskelion.  
“You have to realise Flower, that this is just the start, this is just scratching the surface.” Pierce looked down at his daughter, his arms folded over his chest, a smile playing on his face, enjoying talking about the future.  
Still Daisy looked at the image of the before, of the Hydra symbol that floated in red before her, the skull shape in the centre where her focused most towards, she heard everything her Father said but she wasn’t sure how to reply, everything felt as she looked at watching it through a fish pool, it was real but beyond her to hold on to try to understand.  
“Once Project Insight is complete, once we have destroyed all governments, Hydra will come and be the saviour to Humanity, people will welcome Hydra willing, seeing that we hold all the cards and know what is best.” Pierce told her.  
“What’s…best…” Daisy repeated under her breath as she looked at the Hydra symbol, a cold numb feeling was beginning into her finger tips.  
“Yes.” Pierce replied excitedly. He moved around to the other side of his desk, he sat down and begun to flick and click away to change the image in front of her, to a map of the world, at first it was simply a typical image of map, but then from East coat of American, spreading out to the west of the continent onwards was the colour red, gradually all meeting together to form a map covered in entirely in red.  
“This will happen within the month.” Pierce said from behind the 3D image that he smiled out from his side. “Your sister has been taking care of the countries which will need a push to hold obedience to us when the time comes, planting a few diseases that Hydra will give cures to when we see fit.”  
Daisy gasped and looked at her Father through the image. “Dad…” The look of glee on his face made Daisy feel sick, this was her Father saying these things as if it was simply as taking out the rubbish, not difficult, easy, cold and calculated.  
“Its fine Flower.” Alexander Pierce assured her. “Those that die will offer nothing to the future of Hydra, they will not understand our work and the order we’re trying to create on Earth.”  
From the side of the room the door opened and Caitlin Pierce walked in with a thick built man who had a scar on the side of his cheek, he who wore all black, typical Shield Strike team, though he looked unarmed and more like a body guard, there was definitely hidden firearms on his person, he stopped nearby to the door way as Caitlin as she walked over to Pierce’s desk and stood behind her seated Father. Caitlin Pierce looked her normal perfect self, her fair blonde hair was down lose on her shoulder, her smart casual out for the day of shirt and pants betrayed nothing of the person that Daisy saw her as now, nothing about her read anything different than it had that morning at breakfast when they two had woke early to make breakfast for their Father, looking at her sister Daisy remembered Caitlin as a child, her hair always long and perfect, her manner all poised and perfect but always with a playful teasing nature, was this the same person at all?  
Both Caitlin and Alexander Pierce looked at Daisy. Leaning back in his chair, Pierce looked thoughtfully at his daughter, he could see the whiteness of her face and the shock. He switched off the 3D image between them, he pressed his palms together and rested his elbows on the arms of his chair.  
“Speak Flower.” Pierce said with a small smile. “Tell us what your thinking.”  
Looking back and forth to them, she opened her mouth to speak but she couldn’t think what to say.  
“Come-on Princess.” Pierce said with a tint of sternness in his voice.  
“I…” Daisy looked into her Father blue eyes, the same eyes that had always been warm and kind to her but now she could only see coldness. Thoughts went through Daisy mind, she knew that what was happening was some sort of test, that both her Father and sister knew her to never become a part of something like this, it was the opposite of what she believed in, what she worked for, but what could she say them. “I…think…your both insane.”  
From next to Pierce a chuckle came from Caitlin Pierce. “Aww Daisy, if you only knew.”  
“I don’t think I want to.” Daisy said to her sister challengingly. “Not if your going to kill people.”  
“Not people.” Pierce interjected. “Those unworthy of Hydra. Its part of the purification purpose Princess.”  
Shaking her head she stared at them. “How can you do this? How can you do this under Shield Dad? Caitlin,” She looked at her sister “you have spent years trying to stamp out threats,” then turing to Father “Dad, you were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize…how?”  
“Daisy,” Caitlin said with calmness and serenity to her voice. “Shield is Hydra, has been for years.”  
Not saying anything she simply looked at her sister in confusion.  
“Shield has been indeed been our shield for Hydra’s true work, we have been advancing our work, continuing on with what was started 70 years and we’re almost there.” Caitlin told her. “But we no longer need Shield, to keep them around would damage our work and we have been waiting too long as it is.”  
Looking at her father Caitlin smiled. “The time has come for phrase 2, it’s what you and I were made for.”  
Frowning at her Daisy replied. “Made for? What are you talking about?”  
Alexander Pierce stood up and walked over to Daisy, he moved slowly and both sister’s watched as he did. He stood in front Daisy and reached out and touched her right cheek, a gesture he done a thousand times in her life, a comforting loving fatherly touch. “You Daisy are part of the bigger plan, you are one of the greatest Weapons we have.”  
“Weapon?” Daisy said looking up her Father.  
Smiling he replied. “Yes, Daisy. You and Caitlin will become our greatest weapons, exactly what Red Skull would have wanted.”  
Flicking her gaze from her Father, Daisy looked at her sister, who had the same smile of glee on her face. Daisy shoved her face away from Father’s touch, she pushed herself up and her pushed her chair away from and looked at her Father. “This can’t be real. You two, your playing some sort of trick.”  
“Daisy…” Caitlin said soothingly. “This is no trick.”  
Still looking at her Father his hand was now back to his and he stood up looking her, the same man she had always known as her Father but was not the same man any longer. Looking at her sister she thought the same thought, the same woman who she had always known as her sister, but was not the same woman any longer. Taking a steps back away from her Father, she walked towards the door backwards saying nothing, simply looking at them both as she did so.  
Both Alexander Pierce and Caitlin Pierce watched her, doing nothing.  
It was only when she a few feet away from the door she found bumped into something from behind. She turned her head around to see the bulky man that her sister had walked in with, Daisy had forgotten he was there. He put a thick gloved hand on her shoulder, stopping her making anymore steps.  
“Thank you, Rollins,” Pierce said walking over to where she stood held by the Strike member.  
“Dad…” Daisy said low sad voice. “This…can’t be real.”  
With his hands resting on the hops of his trousers, a gesture her father took when addressing a serious matter, he stood looking at his daughter, his face no longer smiling at gleeful. Instead he looked disappointed and he looked down at his tiny daughter. “Daisy, make this easier. When Project Insight happens Hydra will have all answers to all the world problems and issues, there will be order and compliance.”  
“Who decides who lives and dies?” Daisy challenged. “You aren’t God Dad.”  
“No, I am not God.” Pierce agreed. “We use the Scientific Mathematics of Armin Zola, an algorithm decides who does, who is of no use to Hydra who could be a possible problem for Hydra now or in the future.”  
Something inside of Daisy clicked and looked directly into her Father eyes. “I’m on there aren’t I?”  
Alexander Pierce held his daughter’s gaze, her soft brown eyes burning into his his, seeing right into him, like she had always been able to do when she child, the same caring eyes he seen grow up in a woman and make her own decisions, decisions he had not tried to change, allowing her the freedom she craved, not thinking her simple desire to become a doctor would any way effect what his plans for the future would be, not knowing that she would eventually cause herself to put on the list. Pressing his lips together, he looked away, he couldn’t remain looking her and seeing her burning angry eyes.  
“You were…” Pierce told her. “But no longer.”  
“Then you’ll have to kill me.” Daisy said angrily to her Father. “When you release Project Insight, I’ll have to die, along with all the millions of others.” Softening her voice she stepped closer to her Father. “But you don’t have to Dad, you-“ From behind the Strike member Rollins pulled her back away from Pierce who stood unmoving.  
“Oh Daise…” Caitlin voice said from behind her Father.  
“Dad…” Daisy pleased. “You don’t have to do this.”  
Looking back at her, a new fierceness in his eyes and voice he replied. “Yes I do Daisy and so will you. The sooner you come to realise that the better.”  
Walking away from her he went swiftly back to his desk and to Caitlin who had remained standing there the whole time. “Rollins,” He said firmly as he walked. “You and Rumlow take Daisy back to my house, both of you remain there until I return. Clear?”  
“Yes sir.” The Strike Member Rollins replied, pulling Daisy by the should. “Hail Hydra!” He said as he went towards the door.  
“Dad…please.” She said pulling away from Rollins.  
Back at his desk he didn’t look at her and said nothing. Caitlin watched, fixing her eyes onto her sister saying nothing.  
Without another word, Daisy was pulled out of the room by Rollins and walked towards the elevator. As she walked Daisy felt light headed and wanted to fell like a heap on to the floor, but she found herself walking instead, feeling numb and cold. Inside the elevator she lost all sense of herself, no thought could form in her head. When the elevator stopped at the carpark basement Rollins walked her out towards a black four by four, where standing beside it was Brock Rumlow waiting. He said nothing as they walked towards him, he opened the door to Daisy and watched as the pale faced girl jumped in and when inside stared down at her hands in her lap, saying nothing.  
Brock Rumlow signed and climbed into the vehicle, he felt for Daisy, he liked her and had known her since she was an awkward teenager and seen her grow up, but the girl in the backseat behind him was a broken child. Shaking his head mentally he thought; Hydra is the answer, once she complies and understands she’ll be fine.  
Driving out of the Triskelion Daisy couldn’t bring herself to look up from her hands in her lap, she didn’t see the sun just above the impressive Shield building, the light bouncing off river on to building causing amazing waves of rainbows reflex on to the bottom of the building.  
Inside Alexander Pierce’s office Caitlin Pierce sat herself down in chair in front of Father’s desk. She folded her legs and looked questioning at her Father, saying nothing.  
Sat at his desk Pierce had his hands resting on the desk, leant forward he looked at his eldest daughter with angry his eyes.  
“She’ll have to be put through The Faustus programme.” Pierce told her.  
“No, she won’t.” Caitlin replied. “She’s too smart for that.”  
Angrily Pierce said back. “What do you suggest? I won't have anything extreme happen to her!”  
“Noooo….” Caitlin smiled. “I know how to make Daisy see sensep.”  
Exhaling in frustration he pressed his lips together. “Caitlin you are not to fail me on this, we need Daisy to be ready in time.”  
Smiling back at her Father Caitlin said. “I have never failed you Father.”


	10. 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick chapter I wanted to do to involue Rumlow and Renata in abit more...more action soon.

**One Year Earlier**  
**_Washington, Normanstone Terrace_**  
Driving back to the Pierce house no-one spoke.  
Rollins knew the way and need no instruction from Rumlow which way to go. The drive back from the Triskelion was as smooth as it had been to, barely stopping at any lights and no Washington tourist traffic to waylay them.  
Rollins parked the vehicle on the left part of the driveway, more than likely knowing that her Father would prefer the right, as it was nearest to the front door of the house. Rumlow opened the passenger door for her and closed for her after she existed, nothing to anyone watching would be out of the ordinary. The Pierce house was secluded, the gateway and the driveway differing from the various on the house on the long road into Normanstone Park, more Secluded then the rest and built with a far more contemporary style than the rest, that were more typical well-to-do houses for the rich of Washington, trying to keep tradition of red brick and large paned windows.  
In the Pierce neighbourhood people knew each other by foreknowledge of the other, meeting one another occasionally on runs and jogs, but more than likely to see one another when out and try to make conversation to help advance or forward themselves more in social circles with their neighbour than to make friends. Looking around the area she had grown up, Daisy realised just how little she knew the people, she knew them by name, having been told by her Father or Sister when out and seeing them, but when she looked around now, on a Saturday afternoon, there was no-one around, it was an area which people didn’t mow their lawns or wash their cars on sunny days like that, they had people do for them in the week, whilst they attended to something more important.  
Turning back to her family home she walked to the front door and went to take out her key, Rumlow and Rollins behind her, when the front door of the house opened with quick gust, pushing the hair out of Daisy face and shocking her briefly. Behind her she heard a quick shuffle and click as Rollins pull out his gun ready to fire and strike.  
Standing in the doorway, with a stern questioning look on her face was Renata Meiser.  
Behind Rumlow pulled Rollins gun down so it pointed to floor and away from the view of Renata.  
“Daisy…” Renata said slowly. “Your back already? Where is your Father?” She pointed her gaze firmly at the two man in black behind her, both towering over Daisy and looking threatening to her tiny frame.  
Thinking quickly Daisy knew she couldn’t say anything to worry Renata, worrying Renata would have consequences, she had seen her family Housekeeper lose her temper before and steam-roll into situations, but this was something she wanted Renata not to be involved in, she knew she had to keep her life out of danger. Looking at Renata she smiled, forcing her biggest fake smile to hide the fear inside of Daisy at her own frightened state of unsure of what was going to happen next to anyone in that room and in the whole of the world. “Hey,” Daisy started, giving Renata a hug, having to stand on her tip toes in doing so, “Dad’s had to attend some Shield business with Cat and he asked the guys to take me home, I offered them lunch before they go, they helped show me all round Shield today.”  
Following Daisy in, Rollin shout the door behind them both.  
Renata did not break her look of questioning furiousness, the lines on her forehead deepening as Rumlow walked past her. Rumlow gave her a small smirk and a salute to her, which made Renata narrow her eyes in distaste.  
“So guys…what would you like to eat? I don’t think we have much in…maybe we should do this another time, we go to George Town to that Retro dinner!” Daisy asked heading towards the kitchen walking backwards facing them, trying to act as normal as possible to her very overprotective housekeeper and long-time career.  
The look on Rollins face never changed, which made Daisy realised since first ever meeting the Strike member he had never managed once to change his facial expressional, his slick back dark hair, scared cheek constantly always looked serious and composed, an readable face there was never anything to read from, to whom Daisy had only heard him actually speak twice before. He looked at Daisy and said nothing, simply followed inwards to the kitchen.  
“You got any bacon?” Rumlow said, answering for Rollins. “I’d ‘kill’ for a BLT.”  
At the word kill Daisy stopped in her steps. “Er, no…Dad’s not allowed Bacon.” Daisy could feel her voice shake slightly, she tried to keep her eyes away from Renata, who she could feels her eyes watching her.  
“Oh, that’s a shame.” Rum low said. “Tell you what, Rollins and I aren’t that fussed, you make us up something and we’re be more than happy, no need for us to go anywhere.”  
Daisy swallowed and nodded. “Okay.”  
From behind Rollins Renata stood, watching the two. Her soft brown eyes narrowed into slits, she held her palms in front herself together, her lips pressed together. “Dalia.” She asked. “Do you want any help?”  
“No, no…” Daisy said quickly, smiling broadly. “We’re fine Balabusta.”  
From behind Rollins Renata made a noise that sounded half like a hiss and grunt of annoyance. She didn’t move from her spot, neither did Daisy. The looked at each other, Daisy smiling widely at her, Renata looking at Daisy with her head tilted to one in questioningly. A thought sprung into Daisy’s head, she almost jumped as she said it. “Renata, why don’t you take the rest of the day? Whatever needs doing, I’ll finish it off.”  
Pressing her lips so tightly together they almost disappeared, Renata pushed her shoulder back and pulled herself up to her fell willowy height and told Daisy firmly. “Oh no you will not, I’ll do my job and-“  
“I think you should take the day off Miss Meiser.” Rumlow said stepping in front of Daisy and lowering his head and looking at Renata from the top of his eyes firmly. “Mr Pierce asked us to stay with Daisy, not you.”  
“Excuse me!” Renata steamed stepping forward towards Rumlow. “I have worked in this house for 19 years and all those years I have only taken-“  
“Renata!” Daisy shouted angrily, raising her voice louder than she had ever done to her beloved housekeeper. “Take the rest of the day off and come back Monday.”  
The look on Renata Meiser face was of pure shock, her eyes were wide and her eyebrows high up on her forehead, her mouth open slightly with aghast at Daisy.  
Rumlow turned to look at Daisy, a small pleased smile on his face, from the corner of his eyes he looked back at Renata, who still stood.  
For a brief moment it seemed if Renata would do nothing. She continued to look at Daisy, trying to read her but finding nothing. Then, Renata Meiser exhaled, gave a small nod at Daisy and said. “Very well…I go.”  
“Thank you.” Daisy said gently with relief.  
Giving Rumlow an aggressive glare Renata straighter herself up to her full height and moved towards the kitchen to collect her things, her strides were quick and military, not saying anymore, she made no eye contact with Daisy or with Rumlow. Trying her best to compose herself Daisy couldn’t look at Renata as she walked past her to where she had place her bag on the kitchen counter, head lowered Daisy looked at her feet, an action which Renata caught a of glance of her doing, causing Renata to remember Daisy doing that action as a child whenever she had done something wrong and felt ashamed. For split second, from taking her bag and putting it onto her shoulder, Renata looked at Daisy with worry, she knew this not the Daisy she known since she was child, never before had her Dalia raised her voice to her or spoken out of turn to her in front of anyone.  
Eyes following Renata with quickly, Rumlow knew that the overprotective Housekeeper would more than likely like Rumlow far less than now than she already did, which didn’t bother him in the slightest. Watching her, he wondered what Alexander Pierce’s plan was for her, she was definitely no use to Hydra and would more than likely be opposed to the new regime of Hydra furiously. Well, she would definitely have to be taken care of, something which Rumlow would suggest to Pierce he could do personally.  
“There’s sliced chicken and falafel in the fridge.” Renata told Daisy, firmly looking at her, head high. Lowering her head she said in a gentler voice. "Good bye Bubbala >"  
The she walked past Daisy and the two dark clothed Strike members out the door, not looking back as she did.  
With Renata gone, Daisy felt more relieved, knowing she was out of harm’s way and that her last word was to her something she rarely used, Bubbala being the word she used for her often as a child. At that moment she didn’t know how dangerous Rumlow and Rollins were, they were her Father’s, and Hydra’s guard and hound dogs, obedient and without question whatever was asked of them and, in Rumlow’s case ambitious. Still looking down at her feet Daisy wished she could just ask Rumlow and Rollins to leave, but she knew very well they would stay until they were ordered to otherwise by Pierce.  
Huffing a small laugh Rumlow walked into the kitchen and sat on a stool at the counter near Daisy. He pulled out the chair next to him and patted it. “Sit kid.”  
She didn’t move, she didn’t want to sit next to Rumlow and talk, which she knew he wanted to, since she had known Rumlow he had been a big talker, always having stories to tell and impress her or Caitlin with.  
“Come Kid.” Rumlow said, deeper his voice. Seeing no movement from Daisy he sighed and placed both his hands on the counter and looked a head to the double doored fridge which returned his distorted reflection back to him from the metal of its exterior. “Rollins. Wait outside until I say so.”  
Not answering, Rollins walked out towards the door, closing it behind him, leaving Daisy and Brock Rumlow alone.  
“So everything a little bit frightening at the moment I Know Daise.” Rum low started. “You’ve been told what's gonna happen soon and your head’s all over the place, right?”  
Still looking at the floor, she said nothing.  
“Daisy, what you have to see is what happening is going to the best thing for everybody.” Rumlow told her. “Order, discipline, loyalty. These are what Hydra is all about Daise.”  
“And mass murder and killing of the defenseless?” Daisy said under her breath.  
Rum low gave a small chuckle. “There defenceless from their stupidity, stupidity for not being part of Hydra.”  
Looking up she turned to face Rumlow, she looked shock and angry. “How does that make sense? Kill those who aren’t part of Hydra and blame their deaths for not being part of Hydra? Thats stupid Rumlow.”  
“No…” He said firmly, turning his head to face her. “Its called natural selection, the fittest and smartest survive, and that what being part of Hydra is.”  
“How?!” She challenged him. Daisy walked over to stand next to him, as Rumlow sat he came up the same height as Daisy, so they both looked at each other face to face. “Natural selection is a part of nature, Hydra is not nature, its-“  
“You’ll understand soon.” Rumlow interjected firmly. “You think about it all you want Daisy but soon, you’ll see that Hydra is the answer to all the problems in the world.”  
“Oh yeah?” Daisy hissed.  
Slowly Rumlow nodded and said with conviction. “Yes.”  
Looking at Rumlow then Daisy couldn’t remember if she had ever seen his dark eyes so cold and empty, she had always taken his dark eyes as warm and friendly, a serious man with a brave and kind heart, who always had a joke on the tip of his tongue and a cheeky smile to accompany it, no matter what was happening around him, but now, she couldn’t imagine the same of him, all his admirable qualities were now qualities that made him a high raking and valued member of Hydra.  
Pulling himself straight in his stool, Rumlow cracked his knuckles and as if a switch had been flick, he smiled and said. “Now…what about that lunch?”


	11. 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter...after this its all basically begins for all (past and present)...so yay.

**Russia**  
_**5989.77 Miles From New York** _

Somehow or another Daisy had gone back to sleep, still in her crouched and huddled position against the wall with the hood of the fur coat over her head, head cradled on her knees, in a dreamless sleep. Her sleep had happened unintentionally, she had tried to stay awake, worried that her Metal Armed Kidnapper would come back again and…Daisy wasn’t sure what but she knew she would prefer to be awake upon his return.  
What woke Daisy up was someone knocking her foot and causing her body to slump forward and her head coming into to contact with her buckled knee. She sprung herself awake and pulled her head back, letting the hood fall away from her head. Standing in front her, looking down her with a vacant expression was her capturer.  
“Here.” He said as he dropped the bag with her clothes in on to the ground. “Change and we leave.”  
With that he turned and walked away and out the room up the stairs, slamming it shut behind himself.  
She swallowed and didn’t move for a second.  
So. Daisy thought; this is where we begin.  
Standing up she begin to get undressed using the fur coat as a shield, worried about being watched by her kidnapper from some hidden place caused her paranoia into overdrive. As she pulled off her clothes and into similar fresh ones, she saw a bottle of water on the table which the laptop was on that hadn’t been there the night before, it was cold as condensation covered the bottle, clothed in thick clothes she took the water and drank, gaining the sensation of never having left so relieved to drink water ever before.  
Dressed and ready she went to pick up the bag when The Metal Armed Man came back in, walking down the stairs quickly he walked straight towards her and then proceeded to push her in front of him and directed her up the stairs. Every one of his movements was smooth and fluid, never did he hesitate or look as if was questioning anything he did. He still wore his black ensemble, was still unshaven and his hair was long and limp down his face. Because of his constant stone still face Daisy couldn’t see if he was any more tired looking, there was dark rings around his eyes and his eyes sunken in more then most but he was still the same as he had been, there was no sign of anything having happening the previous night to of effected him.  
Pulling the fur coat closer, her kidnapper opened the door to the hanger bay for her and a strong gust of wind greeted her, causing a shiver down her spine and catching her breath. Inside the wind had blown in the snow from the high up broken windows, which had slightly settled around the floor. The Metal Armed man shoved Daisy into the hanger, Daisy was about to walk to the further end of the hanger where the Quinjet stood, when her kidnapper pulled her shoulder to another direction.  
Without saying a word, she turned and walked ahead of her kidnapper to the other turn of the hanger, which was the darkest corner, no light seemed to penetrate there.  
He’s going to kill me. Daisy thought frantically.  
Holding her breath she stopped at the corner of the hanger, there was nowhere else to go. Facing towards the corner wall Daisy waited to hear the sound of her kidnapper pulling out a gun and prepare to be executed.  
Closing her eyes and she waited.  
But the moment never came, instead her Kidnapper opened a door and flung it open to the outside world which was covered in fresh snow and still silent morning air of the snowing world outside.  
Daisy let out her breath and looked at her kidnapper from the corner of her.  
Had he done that on purpose, had he tried to frighten her, again, by showing her that despite his basic looking after her that her living and dying was entirely up to him. Daisy could only think it was, he had military training and most likely knew how to intimidate people with scare tactics by doing very little, allowing the person’s mind to run away with them.  
At the back of the hanger was a forest, tall snow covered tress, so dense and tightly packed together that it the inside of the forest ground was less covered in snow and covered in stimulated night. The trees there in the summer time, when in full leafage would have been an glorious sight to see, an undisturbed tree land of lush greens. The old airfield hanger, which Daisy guessed was Russian, was built in that location because of how much the forest covered it, no doubt they were miles from civilisation and in a place no-one came through or past.  
Taking her shoulder her kidnapper walked her to their right and through the snow. Still saying nothing to each other they only went a few metres when she saw ahead of them a vehicle. A khaki range rover, the front and back with heavy duty bumpers, hunting lights on top and black out windows. It wasn’t that dissimilar to like anything she had seen, vehicles like this were used in African to defend animals against poachers and people that tried to rekidnap the ex-child soldier that were in the medical care until they could be put back in a proper rehabilitation factuality, somehow Daisy could guess that this vehicle was no way as well intended.  
The Metal Armed Man opened the passenger door for her and almost gently shoved her in, then walked around to the driver side without saying a word.  
When both inside the car, Daisy looked down at her palms and small glimmer of almost joy passed through her, she was still untied!  
As if on queue her kidnapper pulled out a cord from the side door of the car and begin to bind her wrists together. Daisy made a defented face as he did so. After he had finished she looked at her new bonds and then to him.  
“Thank you.” She muttered under breath.  
Her kidnapper gave a small huff of an exhale and turned on the vehicle.  
Head still facing her wrists Daisy caught sight of something in the back sit.  
“Holy shit.” She gasped.  
From the back of the vehicle the seats had been pulled out and inside there was piles of large heavy weapons and fire arms, covering the back of the vehicle and just about reaching to obscure the back window view.  
“Is this how we begin?” Daisy asked staring shocked and stunned at the sight before her.  
With the engine running, the vehicle not moving and looking ahead her kidnapper replied. “ _The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want._ ” The Metal Armed Man turned to then look her as she looked to the back of the vehicle. “So yes.”  
“Huh.” Daisy said back to him before the vehicle veered to life and her kidnapper drove it forward into the forest in a route only he knew.  
In her stomach Daisy had a feeling of dread about what was happen next involving her kidnapper, herself and the motherland of weapons that sat behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want."  
> Quote from Harry S Truman ahead of The Marshall Plan (ERP) 1947.


	12. 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm evil and slow because damnit life is just full of things to do and be done and be undone and redone (story and life wise).

**Russia**  
_**5994.34 Miles From New York** _

There journey was bumpy and rough, the way that her kidnapper traveled was a route which only he knew, he didn’t look at any maps or show any sign that he was lost as any point, he simply drove the vehicle further into the dense forest, knowing where to drive so not to fall into ditch or mud or lower levels of the ground. Despite the fact is still daylight, the underlining of the forest that they drove through was dark and sparse of any light, even the snow was light on the ground, having not being able to reach through the overhead of tree coverings,

Daisy could tell how long they had traveled, though she could hazard a guess that they were beyond two hours. The fear and worry that they would crash into something vanished as she saw as steady he drove and how even the jolts and they bumps the vehicle went over were softer than they should be.  
The Metal Armed Man did not talk or look over at Daisy once, he keeping his eyes ahead, avoidance any hazardous breeches or fallen trees ahead.  
Shuffling in her seat Daisy asked her kidnapper a question she knew fully would annoy and not be answer by her kidnapper. “Are we there yet?”  
Not even a glance was given in her direction by her kidnapper, he carried on driving, his full concentration on the direction ahead.  
Looking over at him she tried to read his face but found nothing, still the same expression.  
“Why am I here?” Daisy asked, in a quieter voice looking at his side profile.  
Still nothing came from him.  
“I’m no use to you.” Daisy told him. “I-“  
“Shut up.” He said firmly and not facing her. Opening her mouth to say something else he repeated in the same firm tone, like it was a recording. “Shut up.”  
Biting her lip Daisy turned away and looked outside to the forest they still drove through.  
Without a warning they stopped. Not only did the vehicle come to a complete holt, The Metal Armed Man turned the engine off completely.  
Turning his head to face her, he reached into the backseat of the vehicle and pulled out a large black box, which he placed swiftly into his lap, opened and pulled off the two large assault rifles/guns, both sleek black and heavy, but which he held with ease and begun to proceed by toying with them by enlarging the barrels and adding more to it from the box, making the already over sized weapons bigger, Daisy watched wide in fear and fascination.  
When done with those, he place them in his lap, pulled out another box which he proceeded to open and take out two shiny sliver semi automatic pistol that he armed and then place them on his belt.  
Still watching Daisy eyes grew bigger.  
Then going to the back seat he pulled out another box and bought two more small but shiny firearms which he place on thigh holsters, then reaching back he pulled out a belt with held various red explosive devices on and strapped it around his middle, then last of all he pulled out a black leather vest which he pulled over himself and then begun to out over himself the various prepare firearms and rifles.  
As he continued to work to armour himself he looked up at her, his face still blank and unreadable.  
“You are to stay behind me, no more than the length of your arm to me.” He told. “Clear?”  
She didn’t responded, just watched as he finished with the last of his straps.  
“Clear!?” He yelled.  
“No.” Daisy replied. “What are you doing?”  
With a quick flick of his wrist he pulled out his pocket knife from his side and flipped it in front of his face, never looking once as he did so, with eyes fixed on her. “Errands.” Then he sliced through the binds on your wrists, still looking directly at her and as quickly as he took out the knife placed it back on his side.  
With wrists and hands free Daisy shock the pins and needles out of her fingers, no longer looking at her kidnapper. Through the tinted window she saw briefly the snow covered outside world, coming to realising that they were about to go into it for…errands.  
“What does that-“ Daisy started but was stopped by The Metal Armed Man opening his door and getting out. “-mean.”  
Walking out in the snow The Metal Armed Man came around the front of the vehicle to Daisy door, opened and stood waiting for her to get out. Cautiously Daisy stepped out into the snow, her eyes fixed on to him, fearful and what he could do to her if she looked away for a even a second. Watching with a look of disdain and a vacate expression as he went.


	13. 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of MoRe.

**One Year Earlier**  
_Washington, Normanstone Terrace._  
Patiently Daisy had sat on the curved sofa in the living room, watching but not taking in what was currently on her Father’s oversized television, her palms resting on her lap. Inside she had the urge to jump up and run out the house, to get out of there but she knew it would be pointless, she had nowhere to go and wherever she went her Father would find her, he knew how to find a gold dust in a sand pile with all the technology and people he had, Shield or Hydra.  
Standing behind the sofa, as he had been for the last few hours was Rumlow, arms crossed, he watched the television the same as Daisy, not at all bothered what was on there.  
A talkshow personality came on and starting talking about Iron Man and The Avengers, audiences members cheers and booed with differing opinions about the Earth saving heros.  
Shaking his head Rumlow said. “Morons, total morons.”  
Not turning face him she carried on watching. “Which ones? Those for or those against?”  
“All of them.” He said cooly.  
Turning around to found Rumlow with a intense look on his face. She frowned at him. “Let me guess, Hydra aren’t morons?”  
Rumlow opened his month to speak when the sound of the front door stopped him. Instantly his body stood up straight and he looked ahead waiting for who he knew was coming. Turning herself back away from Rumlow Daisy turned in time to see her Father and sister enter into the house and stand in front of her side by side. Shadowing them was Rollins, alert and ready for any commands and orders that were to be given to him.  
“How you doing Flower?” Alexander Pierce asked his daughter with his normal everyday tone, a smile on his face. From behind him Caitlin looked analytically at her sister on the sofa.  
As they stood in front of her, towering over her more than usual Daisy had the feeling of a rabbit in headlights, hours ago she would never of dreamed that the feelings of fear, confusion and worry about the what her Father and sister were about to say or do and what they were apart of would have entered her mind.  
Trying to keep her voice strong and even she replied as she looked back and forth to the two of them. “If I could I would go screaming outside at the top of my lungs about what you have planned to everyone everywhere…” she looked away from down to hands. “But I know that you’ll stop me and no-one will listen.”  
Pierce smiled at his daughter and then casual walked the few steps over to her and sat down on the sofa next to her. “That’s a good girl. Your starting to see sense.” Taking her hand he squeezed it. “Hydra is the way of the future, the future is Hydra.”  
Shaking her head, still standing before her Caitlin Pierce’s face was stern and unreadable. “Dad, you know she won’t come ‘that’ easily, she’s too-“  
“She will.” Pierce said firmly, looking at Daisy directly but replying to Caitlin.  
Daisy swallowed and starred into her Father’s eyes. “Dad…what happened…who are you?”  
Squeezing her hand he smiled. “I am a part of greatest organisation that has controlled the world for decades and am in charge of taking the next step into put the new world order and harmonisation of humanity for a bigger purpose.”  
“We both are.” Cailtin shot in.  
“Dad…Caitlin…” Daisy tried to say, but found her voice was trapped.  
“Flower, “ Pierce said smiling “it’s going to be alright. I promise.”  
Before she saw what he doing her father pulled out a spyringe and jabbed it into her arm, never before in her life had anything taken such quick effect on her, her body became limp and she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. Her body fell back into the sofa, her eyes closed and she was gone.  
Standing up and straightening his tie Pierce ordered Rumlow. “Take her downstairs.”  
With a nod Rumlow picked up Daisy in his armss like a sleeping child and carried her out of the room and to the door that lead to Pierce basement.  
“I don’t like this approach your taking.” Caitlin told her Father, her tone was firm but gentle.  
“It will be fine.” Pierce assured her.  
“How? Caitlin said with intensity, taking a breath she calmed her voice. “Let me try Father, this won’t work on Daisy, she’s stronger than you think, she’ll resist.”  
Turning to face her sharply and he told Caitlin. “She won’t.”  
Brock Rumlow had been downstairs in the basement of Pierce’s house, he knew the journey down the short staircase and through the hidden doors into another staircase that would take him much further underground like the back of his hand, but walking there this time he walked more carefully, holding the daughter of Alexander Pierce in his arm made him cautious about how he moved, he did’t want to bang her head and end up kill her, that was last thing he wanted.  
As he walked, he kept his eye on her, knowing that what Pierce had given her was only to knock her out briefly and to waken her, he had seen it used many times when in the field, it used to dose prisoners to make them easier to handle.  
The house that Alexander Pierce live had been bought by Pierce for one reason and one reason only, it had belonged to an influential member of Hydra from WW2, they built the house with tunnels and a war bunker that had been originally used for meeting and hiding of Hydra work and information from SSR and later Shield. When Pierce had become a part of Hydra he was told to buy the house by  
Hydra and from there Pierce improved the hidden basement, creating at first a place to work, then making it wider and vaster by creating labs and research factuality away from anyone and to focus on the aspect of Hydra he wanted to focus on most of and what he deemed the most important.  
Entering the unground complex which lay underneath Pierce house Rumlow knew exactly where to, he walked past the dozen or so people inside, working at computer and on equipment, fully focused and not all bothered by the sight of Rumlow, these people, Rumlow knew were the best of all Hydra, they had been chosen to work there by Pierce himself, they were obedient and worked only for Hydra, they ear lived and breath Hydra like it was sun and air. Going through another door he walked into a room where he meet by another door. This time he stood still as a retina scan was given to from the the doorways entrance, when finished the door opened and he walked inside, the door behind him closing.  
Inside there was little to no light, there was nothing to see inside the room, the light shone from the ceiling above, which despite being some way below ground was impressibly high, giving the room a hallow like glow in the centre, despite all this Rumlow knew what to do, he walked over to where a table was and laid Daisy out on, her body was still limb as he did so. Stepping away he walked out the room, even though he had been incredibly careful carrying Daisy he knew what was happen next to her and despite all his own gentleness to her what she was about to go through there was an ouch of gentleness.  
Before he walked out, he stopped briefly, he inhaled a breath and said to the unconscious Daisy. “It’ll be alright Kid, you’ll see, it’ll be alright.” With that he walked out the room and left Daisy alone.  
As if hearing from one of the many tunnels of the underworld of her Father’s home Daisy heard Rumlow’s words, like a echo and from a dream, but it helped to pull her awake, to make her eyelids register there was light somewhere and she needed to open them. Head poised back on the table, her body on the cold slab of metal she opened her eyes to see the light hanging from the ceiling, the halogen light was weak and high above her, despite this it hurt her eyes to look at. Daisy took in a breath, blinking and trying to remember what had happened.  
Just as her memory started to pull together the room went black and a loud alarm noise started, the alarm was piercing and harsh.  
Daisy went to sit up in the dark but just as she tried to sit the room was lite up with red flashing light.  
Sitting up she tried to catch glimpses of room from the flashing red but her eyes kept playing tricks on her, one moment she thought she saw a crowd of people around her, the next she thought she saw wolves or dogs watching her, then she thought she saw flames, then she thought she saw dozens of people with the face of her father watching her. The flashing of the light intensified, the sound of the alarm became amplified and started to sound like one long single beep.  
Daisy put her hands over her ears to block out the noise and shut her eyes to ignore the flashing and the things she was seeing.  
“Stop….” She pleased, trying to make her voice loud but above the noise was barely a whisper.  
Then everything stopped and she again was in darkness.  
Slowly she opened her eyes and took her hands off her ears.  
“Dad….Caitlin…” Daisy said trying to fight back tears. “What-“  
Again an alarm started, this time the alarm was low pitched and thundering.  
Again the lights begun to flash, instead this time the light was blue.  
Again the sound of the alarm and the light sped up and intensified gradually.  
Daisy jumped herself off the table she lay on, she stumbled in the flashing light to the where she thought the side of the room, she kept walking to where she hoped to find the wall but she couldn’t find it, she kept moving but she couldn’t find it, it just kept going. Realising that was impossible she stopped, she started to move back to where the table was but found she couldn’t find it, she couldn’t even see glimpses of it in the flashing blue light.  
From behind her something grabbed her shoulder and sung her around, but when she tried to face them, there was nothing there.  
“Please.” Daisy said. “Please stop…”  
Then everything went black.  
Standing still she breathed in and out as calmly as she could manage, opening her mouth to speak she had to stop herself, for fear that it would trigger something else. Maybe that was it, she was triggering it all, maybe she…  
The whole room lite up with a bright white light, so bright it stung her eyes and made her throw her arms up to cover her eyes, for a moment she though she saw an audience of people around her in seats, as if she was in an 360’ auditorium and being watched. The light was blinding, everything in the room become whited out, then slowly a strange hum started, a humming that gradually become louder and louder.  
With her arms criss-crossed over her eyes, Daisy found herself crumbling to her knees, the humming becoming painful to her ears and drum into her head. Uncontrollable tears started to roll down her cheeks, with her eyes tightly shut she removed her criss-crossed arms and covered her ears instead. Her ears truly started to hurt, she could feel the pain physically.  
“Please…” Daisy whispered desperately, not knowing what to say, not knowing who she was talking to her.  
Was her Father doing this? Was she being punished? Was this how he was going to make her see how wonderful Hydra was?  
Feeling as if her ears were about to start bleeding the humming stopped and the light went out.  
She waited, thinking that at any moment something else would happen, another torturous something.  
But nothing, she was left in the dark, in the silence, for what Daisy could only guess was an hour, she tried to hold on the feeling of time, counting, thinking slowly to try to not speed up her concept of unread time with her panicking mind.  
From nowhere a new sound came, the sound of water running in the distance, then then sound of water came nearer and nearer. In the darkness she tried to figure out the direction of where it was coming from, but it was everywhere. Was she going to drowned? Had her Father realised she better off dead than part of Hydra? Had something flooded in where she was being kept? Did anyone know she was there?  
Standing up she walked to what every direction was in front of her, one arm was wrapped to her chest, one arm was reaching out to try to find a wall in front of her, the sound of the water was very very near now. She tried her best not to panic.  
As she reached out her hand she found metal. She grabbed it, if the water came in at least she had something to hold on to, she might survive. Whatever it was, it was pipe like and curved, she pulled herself to it but found it was attached to something. The wall? The floor? The ceiling? Using her other arm she tried to feel what it was attached to and instead she felt material, leather like.  
Frowning and trying to figure it out as she the sound of the water became dealing she moved her arm upwards and found something she didn’t expect. Flesh. Warm flesh, flesh with hair.  
Daisy pushed herself away from whatever it was.  
Then the light above her flicked on. She was still in the centre of the room under the halogen light.  
In front of her stood a man, he was looking upwards at the switched on light. His face vacant but the way he looked up at the light was almost sad. His face was young and was in need of a shave, his hair was to his ears and he looked frightening strong all in black with a shiny metal arm at his side.  
Stepping back she felt something inside of her clicked with a memory, that she had seen this man before, somewhere.  
Slowly he looked down from he halogen light above them to Daisy. His expression went from vacant and sad to twisted with anger very quickly. Instinct told her what he was going to do, so she moved quickly but she wasn’t fast enough, the man’s metal arm made a grab for her neck, which just about came to his chest level.  
All at once the light switched off.  
A second later it switched back on and the metal armed man was gone.  
Hugging herself Daisy felt herself becoming hysterical. Was she awake? This had to a nightmare.  
Looking down at her feet she saw water, it was swirling around her. She realised for a moment that she was actually standing on it. And with that thought in her head she went under the water with a splash and was pulled under as she leaden with weights on her feet.  
Feeling herself being pulled under, she let out a scream and swallowed water into her lungs.  
I’m going to die! Daisy thought fearfully. I’m going to die…  
Daisy closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, thinking she was about to die and knowing their was nothing to be done.  
Very nearby watching from above was Alexander Pierce in exhibition viewing room, a calm unconcerned expression on his face as he watched his youngest daughter laying on a table twitching and moving as the mental and emotional torture was inflicted on to her. The use of drugs that were manipulating her mind and body with simple forms of stimulation was the most effective torture and form of conforming those chosen to become part of Hydra effectively. Next to Pierce stood Caitlin, her face contrasted his, she looked annoyed and concerned down at Daisy.  
“How long will this take?” Caitlin asked watching Daisy as she twitched.  
“However long is necessary.” Pierce asked cooly.  
There was more Caitlin wanted to say, it was on the tip of her tongue but she held back. Both looked down at Daisy in her tortured fragile state below them.


	14. 14

**Russia**  
_5999.68 Miles From New York_  
All around her was total silence that only snow could bring, the air was gentle and brisk, a gentle flurry of snow was falling, around them, the snow covered everything, the whiteness of her surrounding caused her eyes to sting, there was no other colours anywhere, just the gleaming whiteness of the snow. She pulled the fur coat around her, the hem of the coat almost moist from the snow and beginning to stiffen from the cold and become ice.  
Coming from the other side of the vehicle they had both stepped out of her kidnapper moved in front of her, armed with more weaponry than she seen on a single person, he was a walking, firing ready weapon. With the tip of his over sized main gun of choice he shoved Daisy into a the direction ahead of her and said nothing.  
Swallowing her nerves, she begun to walk into the direction ahead, which when she looked lead to nowhere but more dense snow and the beginning of another part of the forest than they had driven through.  
Behind the sound of the metal man’s heavy and solid footsteps followed her, the rhythmic pace of his steps blocking out her even and noisy steps in front of him.  
Her feet and leg were engulfed by the snow, her walking was slow and difficult, from trying to keep her neck upright and her back straight to steady herself caused her to ache and feel light headed. The hood just about covering her view of what was ahead and the swift but steady falling of the snow gave Daisy little to no understand of her surroundings.  
“Stop.” The voice of kidnapper said from behind.  
Like a switch had been flicked and had turned her off, she completely stopped and stood still, the hood of the coat now covering her view.  
The metal armed man walked around her Daisy’s, causing her muscles to tightened, the fear that he could simply shot her and leave her dead in the snow still shrouded her thoughts, along the many possibilities of other ways he would choose to end her. The metal armed man walked ahead of her, his steps more slowly and thoughtful as he walked, she couldn’t see why at first, so slowly she pulled her hood back to look at him to find his head was facing the ground looking, the barrel of the gun pointed to the ground as if he expected something to jump up from it.  
No more than a few feet away from her, Daisy begun to feel her feet going numb and her lips starting to feel as if ice was forming on it. All the while his head looked down, his hair now thoroughly wet from the snow, ice-droplet beginning to form.  
Don’t say anything, don’t say anything. Daisy told herself firmly.  
Her teeth begun to chatter.  
Then, with no warning, the metal armed man shot into the ground and flurry of snow surround him and he jumped back.  
Shocked by the unexpected firing, Daisy fell back on her backside and the large fur coat trapped her feet and caused her to tumble on to her back and look up to the sky. For a brief moment she was looking directly up the sky and at the yellowy, purple coloured clouds above and having the sensation of looking in the abyss of the universe.  
The metal armed man walked over to her, grabbed her armed and yanked her up.  
Back on her feet, more snow covered then before she looked straight ahead to where her kidnapper had been and saw an doorway of a hidden hatch in the ground, a single large metal door had been swung open from the ground underneath the snow to reveal it.  
“We’re going in there aren’t we.” Daisy asked looking at the door.  
“Stay behind me, no more than the length of your arm to me.” Was the only reply he gave with his gruff voice to her, then walked to the opened hatch and begun to descend into it.  
Daisy swallowed and followed, she looked down into the open hatch and saw a shiny sliver metal covered tunnel with solid metal ladder than descend down, slowly she eased herself down on the ladder, following her kidnapper. When only a few steps in from below she heard her kidnapper command her to close the hatch. With her already wet sleeves she pushed through the snow and grabbed hold of the handle and closed the hatch and then both were closed into the darkness around them.  
Pulling her hand back she closed her eyes, finding more comfort in the darkness of her eyelids than the darkness than now surrounded.  
“Keep moving.” Came the metal armed man’s voice from below.  
Opening her eyes she found instead of the darkness that the tunnel was lit by the orange glow of shaft lighting going downwards into the shaft. Inhaling a relived breath she begun to climb down. For a few minutes she tried to count and figure out how far she was going but stopped when she found her foot meeting flooring after a few minutes. Jumping off the ladder Daisy was standing in a another large tunnel, a metal encased tunnel with the same orange lighting as the shaft they had entered in from.  
Daisy looked up to her capturer, wanting to ask questions but knowing full well it would be useless. His eyes looked directly ahead into the tunnel, a look of focus and single minded on his face, as nothing else in the world mattered then and there. His large automatic weapon pointed ahead of him, he walked ahead, his body angled and poised for action, for a moment Daisy stood still, starting to get a feeling of dread develop more in her stomach, she followed but she tried to keep as much of distance and close proximity as she could manage, not knowing if the threat was from him or from what was ahead.  
As they walked through the tunnel Daisy feel that they were being watched, the eery feeling of being watched from somewhere made her keep looking from left to right, trying to see if there was indeed something that was watching them but finding nothing.  
Somewhere from ahead Daisy heard the sound of clanging, like metal against metal in a rhythmic motion, as the walked ahead it become louder but the pace continued.  
Then it stopped.  
So did her kidnapper.  
Daisy stopped to, her breath caught in her mouth, she looked at her kidnapper, his face unreadable as he stopped frozen, gun poised and ready.  
Everything happened to fast for Daisy to see it, all she saw heard was a hum of something nearby, as if something was powering up, then she saw her kidnapper start firing ahead of them. The sound of the bullets echoed in the tunnel around her.  
Daisy did see as her kidnapper flip himself in front of her, shield her and begin to fire shots from behind her and in front of him, then push her against the tunnel wall and start to fire. Covering her ears at first, she could’t see what was being fire at at first, then she saw it. In front of them, at least 15 tiny buzzing dragons flies like hovering little round metal things with a single red dot in the centre of their hovering bodies, that looked very much as eye, humming and seeming to analysis them and readying themselves to fire.  
Again her kidnapper fired at them, hitting a few directly, causing them to fall down dead to the floor, whilst others dodged.  
Two of them fell in flew in front of his face and zip him with burst of electricity. Hissing angrily he swiped them into the wall with his metal arm and caused them to fall expired to the floor.  
All at once the rest of the small metals hovering annoyances crowded themselves together and begun to hum and seem to power themselves.  
Straightening himself and remove himself from covering Daisy her kidnapped pulled out something from his belted and held it front of them all in his metal hand. Instantly all begun to focus their little red lights on his palm.  
With a smirk on his face he squeezed what he held and a flash of electricity came from his hand and all of them at once fell to the floor with a clang.  
Looking at them, lifeless and lightless from the floor she gasped. “What were those?”  
“Bugs.” The metal armed man replied.  
Standing herself back up, her kidnapper picked up one of the metal bugs and his with metal hand torn it in two and took something from inside it. When finished he throw it to the floor and carried on walking. Not lingering this time she followed at his heels, this time sure that the danger here was not her kidnapper but what was hidden around her.  
As they carried on walking Daisy’s kidnapper begun to drop small red plastic round objects from his belt, watching she couldn’t figure out what they were, she tilted her head and went to tap one with her foot when from ahead of her the metal armed man said one word. “Grenades.”  
“What?” Daisy stopped. “But we’re in here, you’ll kill-”  
“Shut up.” He replied deadpanly to her, stopping in his tracks.  
Bitting her lip she reconsidered whether he was the danger again, instead what was in the tunnel.  
Her kidnapper now stood in front of the end of the tunnel, in front of large metal vault door. The door was three foot taller than him, with no handle to open it.  
Looking at it, Daisy wanted to say something, to ask him questions but knew that it was unlikely he was going to answer her, he had answered her once that day and if there was a quota he had given her for answering her questions, it was spent already.  
Walking up to the door, her kidnapper put his metal hand on the centre of vault door and then he pushed his head forward, turning his head to the right.  
Retina scan. Daisy realised as she watched, from within the door, a light came out and scanned his right eye.  
For a second there was nothing, then a heavy clang of the vault door unlocking outwards came. The metal armed man stepped back, so that he stood next to Daisy as the massive door opened to reveal what was inside.  
From within the vault Daisy could see a complex construction of a modern laboratory, the inside was large cave that had been made into a laboratory. Inside the laboratory was dozen of different experiment happening, doctors in lab coats walking away, working, lost in their work and their own hidden world. For a moment Daisy thought that it was simply a laboratory, a secret one, but when she saw the giant symbol of Hydra against the far wall and various Hydra dressed agents with emblazoned Hydra military uniform walking around, she knew this was a far more sinister place.  
From where she stood she could see that it was weapons laboratory, there was various oversized weapons that went beyond all her knowledge of weapons being worked on, all in various stages of completion. From the right of the room she could that testing was happening with a giant gun, where it being fired at various objects. To the left she could people working on another oversized weapon she couldn’t quite see. Then in the centre she could see a tank filled with liquid and electric buzzing around it.  
“No more than the length of your arm to me.” Was all her kidnapper said to her as he stepped into the room, pulling the pistol he had strapped to his back in one hand and holding his oversized gun in the other.  
Everyone in the room carried on working.  
But all stopped when her kidnapper fired off a shots towards the left of where one of their experiments was happening, then firing off a round to the right.  
All stopped and looked at him.  
Not saying a word, a small sharp smirk appeared on his face. Then calmly he walked into the room and begun to fire at everything around him. All the scientist shouted and dived for cover, it was only the military Hydra agents that came forward and went to tackle him.  
None came more than four foot of him, he fired flawlessly at them, hitting them directly. Daisy watched in horror but with fascination, as he never missed anything he aimed for and he fired before anyone had a chance to fire back.  
As instructed she kept her arms length to him.  
Firing as he walked toward one of the weapons her kidnapper said nothing as one of his pistols run out ammo and as he had to use hand to hand combat. Several heavyset man came forward to him, but were quickly knocked down as he kicked them down forcefully in the chest or set a few flying through the air after punching them with his metal arm, as he fought with several he begun to reload one of his pistol and then pulled out of his thigh and fire, he flipped his ammo up, flicked out his finished ammo cartridge, throw his pistols and reloaded them mid-air and caught them effortlessly.  
Daisy found herself pinned next to him as he spun at 360’ around firing at some of the surround onslaught and fall back away, instead shadowing his steps towards the weapon on the left. Once there her kidnapper pulled out one his grenades placed it almost gently at the feet of weapon.  
Looking at him, their eyes met.  
From his side he pulled out a grenade and handed it to her from his metal hand.  
“Take this.” He said pointing to the other weapon. “Put at the bottom.” After which he fired without looking to the side of them where several Hydra agents were running towards them  
The look on Daisy’s face was of shock and bewilderment, she looked from his face, to the grenade, back to his face.  
“I’ll cover you.” He said firmly.  
Daisy didn’t move.  
Again he fired at more agents that came forward with barely looking in their direction.  
Looking at the grenade in his hand in front of her, she wanted to laugh at him, but she couldn’t. Instead, for reasons she would never be able to understand until years later, she took the grenade, turned on her heels and begun to run to the weapon ahead of.


	15. 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More.

**One Year Earlier**  
**Several Miles Underground**  
_Washington_

Sweat rolled down the side of her face, crouched on the floor, bent over, trying to cope with the buzzing noise that was now echoing around the room, the buzzing noise which was managing to pierce into her brain and make her temples sting. There was no way she could block it out, the noise was relentless and ongoing, Daisy couldn’t escape it and she felt for sure she was going faint.  
How much time had past, she couldn’t tell, everything kept changing, any sense of time she had was gone, each different new form of torture changed their length of time and their amount of pain they caused. The sleeves of her shirt were torn from Daisy’s constant attempts to pull them longer and use them to cover her ears.  
Nothing worked.  
Closing her eyes, she felt herself slipping, the sound of the buzzing growing further and further away.  
“Take her out.” Pierce said as he watched her body go limp to the ground.  
From behind five white coated man and woman stood up left he room. Still watching, Pierce took a seat and turned his head to his eldest daughter.  
“I know what your thinking Cat.” Pierce told her curtly. “But I won’t have you use it on her.”  
Exhaling frustratedly, Caitlin Pierce leaned back in her chair. “It will work on her. If you would let me-“  
“No.” Pierce said firmly.  
Turning away Caitlin looked down to the room her sister was in to see the white coat individual carry her out a gurney. “When will you take him out of cryo-freeze?”  
“As soon as Daisy is ready.” Pierce told her. “I’ll need both of you to start your mission as soon he’s awake.”  
From below Daisy was wheeled on the gurney and taken into another room, though unconscious Daisy aware of certain things, she was aware she being taken out the room and she felt aware that there was more to.

 

 **Avengers Tower - 61st Floor**  
_New York_  
Patiently Doctor Banner looked at the footage he had seen a hundred times already.  
Outside of Daisy apartment a security camera had captured the image of a shadowy dark figure outside herbuilding, in front of the Chinese restaurant. The figure at first walked to the front the building, turned, then from his side Banner could see the person pull out something aim it towards the camera and then the camera went blank.  
“Jarvis has analysed it frame for frame.” Came a female voice from over his shoulder, breaking his concentration.  
Looking down away from the screen Doctor Banner pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. “I know Nat…but there has to be something to help us find her.”  
Talking a seat behind him, the red haired and casual dressed former Russian assassin, now highly valued member of the Avengers team, put a friendly hand on his shoulder and told him comfortingly. “Come-on Bruce, you’ve got Tony, Jarvis and Cap all doing everything they can to find her.”  
Turning around to face Natasha Romanoff, Banner smiled, there were few people he let get that close to him and there were given less people were when they talked to him and help calm him it worked, Natasha was the only he let do both and to whom he felt most comfortable around.  
Walking into the room that Doctor Banner and Romanoff sat was Steve Rogers, in his hands he held a tablet lit up in front of him. Looking briefly at them, he coughed to show the two that he had entered, to where Natasha took her hand off Banner’s shoulder and looked over to Rogers. All three sat in Avengers Tower in the part of the tower that Tony Stark affectionately liked to call the Playroom because it was were all his latest gadgets and ideas came to fruition, whenever at the Tower, which over the last few years and been often, Doctor Banner could be found there, helping to rationalise and create Tony’s ideas and plans. Though Rogers often felt the room was far too technical for his dealings, he, like Romanoff worked and stayed there because that was were everyone else was (having decided long ago that visiting Tony’s actual Toy room was far too much for him, as that was basically what everyone felt was Tony’s ego room, where everything Tony oriented lived).  
“Just got the information back about whether or not anyone fitting Daisy description has been taken seen/record traveling international.” Rogers started.  
“And…” Banner asked slowly, already knowing the answer.  
“Nothing.” Rogers answered with an exhale. “No-one fitting her description has been seen anywhere, Jarvis has tapped into every security system from here to Timbuctoo and got zip.”  
Tilting her head to side Romanoff said helpful to Banner. “Well, we already knew that, we just have to work from-“  
“Guys…” Banner said gently but firmly with a gentle shake of his hands. “Whoever has her they not going to be taking the Easyjet to anywhere.”  
Both Romanoff and Rogers looked at each other with a concerned face, knowing that Banner was facing the harsh reality they had been trying to conceal as best they could.  
“We’re going to have to try a different approach.” Banner told.  
“Like what?” Romanoff asked.  
“Fury.” Banner replied.  
Frowning Rogers took a seat and put the tablet he held down. “Fury? No-one's seen or heard from him in months.”  
“Two weeks actually.” Romanoff corrected him.  
Both Rogers and Banner turned to face her.  
With a look of mock innocence Romanoff shrugged. “When your ex-boss is in hiding because as far as everyone knows your ex-boss is six under and worm-feed, you don’t mention to everywhere when you last spoke to them.”  
Shaking his head but with a sly amused smirk on his face Roger said. “Spies, you really can’t turn off can you.”  
Challenging him Romanoff joked back. “I’ll turn off the spy when you turn off the soldier.”  
Both Rogers and Romanoff exchanged smiles, knowing their was no offence taken and that over time this conversation had been had before and that neither could win or best the other.  
“Fury has more on the ground information and unofficial knowledge then even Jarvis has.” Banner told.  
“But finding Daisy?” Rogers asked. “Bruce, Tony said he knows someone-“  
Interpreting Rogers, Romanoff stood up. “I’ll contact Fury.” And proceed to walk out.  
Rogers and Banner looked at each other.  
“You sure Fury can help?” Rogers asked.  
“Don’t have a choice.” Banner told him. “The only thing we have is the footage from outside her apartment, after that there not even a dust trail. If anyone can find anyone its Fury.”  
“But will he help?” Rogers asked.  
“He owes her his life.” Banner said firmly. “Even if he can’t help, he’ll do whatever he can to find someone who can.”


	16. 16

**Russia**  
_5999.69 Miles From New York._  
Daisy placed the small red grenade down by the weapon, she looked up at the cannon like giant metal weapon before her, it stood on a large platform, the details of technology and the mechanics were unless anything she had ever seen, but there was something about the weapon that seemed familiar, as if she’d seen it before. Lost in thought she didn’t see as a shot from behind her was shot and bounced off the weapon above her head, she ducked down and twist on her heels to see her kidnapper held too pistols in his hands shooting as he fought, firing at Hydra agents who fired and him, using kicks and his elbows to fight back and his metal arm to deflect whatever bullets came near him. He tossed pistol he held in his metal hand and threw an almighty punch into the face of any came charging towards him, causing him to fall into the other agents behind them, by which time the metal armed man caught his gun from the air and started firing again.  
Looking at his movements Daisy felt strangely in awe, though he was the best trained killer, who she was still not sure if he was going to eventually kill her, his actions were like a dance, graceful but fierce, everything he did was calculated and perfect, not a step or shot out of place.  
As she watched him he turned his gaze to her, the look of concentration on his face slipped and his narrowed as he looked at her, silently telling her to get back to him. Like the various times before, Daisy had the sensation to run away, flee from him, but this time she realised that he was fighting/attacking Hydra and wasn’t a part of Hydra…which meant he wasn’t the assassin he had been…so what was he?  
With her puzzled thoughts in her head Daisy was about to move, when she heard the sound of something behind her come to life with clicking, humming and ticking of mechanics. Even without fully turning her head she knew what was coming to life, the giant metal weapon.  
The front of the weapon begun to light up and on its base it spun itself around and point itself directly to Daisy metal armed kidnapper, doing so quickly Daisy barely had time to roll herself away from the fast moving metal monster. Quickly the giant metal weapon hummed louder, powering itself, the tip beginning to light up with a blue light.  
Standing still, looking at the metal monster weapon before him, the metal armed man threw his pistols down. Around the Hydra agents begun to walk away and hide behind craft boxes and anything they could find.  
Pulling himself up to his full height Daisy’s kidnapper stood waiting.  
What the hell is he doing? Daisy thought as she watched.  
For a moment there was stillness between the weapon and the weaponised man, waiting.  
Then, without warning the weapon fired a bright blue laser beam shot at the man, aiming to hit him directly in the chest, but instead, faster than Daisy could see, he flipped his body to the side and landed like a gymnastic on his feet. Not missing a beat, the weapon turned itself again firing at him but again the man jump away. Again a laser shot was fired, this time aiming for his feet but somehow knowing the man flipped on his hands and jumped himself up in the air, causing himself to land nearer to the weapon and to Daisy.  
Watching crouched down Daisy didn’t know what she was hoping for, letting her kidnapper be killed and thus being then kidnapped by Hydra or letting her kidnapper somehow win and continued being kidnapped.  
Within closer proximity to the weapon Daisy's kidnapper rolled his shoulders back and took one step forward, to which the weapon fired at him, to which the man flipped himself into the air and landed nearer to the weapon, then flipped himself again but further away. As if confused the weapon’s sensor shook itself and then, begun to fire randomly around in the direction of the man, to which the man begun to do leaping jumps around away from the shots.  
Finally within a foot to Daisy and the weapon, the metal armed man leaped up on top of the weapon’s barrel top and with his metal arm pulled the wiring and mechanic of the weapon away and then start to crush and throw punches into it. Whilst the man started to do this, the weapon started to shake, trying to jitter and shake the man off, but with no luck, as the man, held steadily on the top of the weapon as if he was on a rodeo horse.  
With one last final punch the weapon’s humming and lights died and its tip flopped itself down dead.  
Jumping off without a moment of hesitation or moment of enjoy the glory of his win, the metal armed man landed in front of Daisy, he looked down at crouched over with a annoyed expression.  
“Get up.” He hissed at her.  
All around a siren started and the whole of the room lit up with red emergency lights.  
For the first time then Daisy saw her kidnapper smile, a genuine and real smile. Turning his head away from her, he looked to the room around, the smile on his face broad and verging of frightening.  
Slowly Daisy stood herself up, holding her fists together as they sound of the siren made unwelcome memories come back. She watched her capturer in front of her, the sight of his strange happiness was unnerving, for someone who showed no emotion, unless having the effects of a nightmare, to start smiling at what was happening was far from pleasant.  
“No more than the length of your arm to me.” The metal armed man repeated again as he stepped in front of her and turned to face the wall where the giant Hydra symbol stood.  
Following his gaze, Daisy found herself taking a step closer as she did.  
In front of them the symbol before them lit up red and wall begun to open itself outwards to the room.


	17. 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Action...writing emotional prose is hell of alot easier than writing action. O_o

**Russia**  
_5999.69 Miles From New York._

From where she stood behind him she could see the muscles of his neck tighten, his body became rigid and he lowered his head, keep his gaze level, ready to jump, everything about him become like a predator, focused to what in front of them.  
If seeing what she had seen when they entered in the room before was a only shock to her, her next would truly frightening her. What stood was not ships, not weapons but soldiers, rows and rows going far back in the bigger room, at least 30 across and countless number behind of them all wearing black helmets emblazoned with the Hydra symbol, googles covering their eyes, hidding their faces, armed with oversized guns across their front and standing there waiting, lifeless, just waiting.  
“Holy…crap.” Daisy breathed.  
This was suicide, pure and simple, not intentional suicide on her part, she had no wish to take on the soldier but as she saw her metal armed captor begun to adjust his stance, moving his feet further apart to give himself more standing ground, she knew that he was going to fight them.  
All at once, all the soldier’s pointed their weapons to them in a giant click, click clang at they did so.  
The smile on her kidnapper’s face widen.  
I’m going to die. Daisy thought with calm frightened alarm. I’m just going to be a holy holey mess.  
“You will surrender now Asset.” A male voice said over tannoy from above.  
Still looking out at the soldiers in front of them he said with dead calm voice. “Nope.”  
“You-will-surrender.” The voice repeated with frustration, spitting out the last word.  
Watching from behind Daisy was just about ready to yell at him to surrender, there was nothing they could do.  
Turning his head slightly to his right to look at her, she felt her pulse race as he did so, something inside of her knew what he was about was going to be insane and was going probably going to be something she wouldn’t believe but she knew that he knew what he doing.  
“Behind me.” He whispered not moving his lips.  
Daisy turned her back and pressed it against his, not wanting to see what would happen.  
“On the count of 3 you will be fired on, by over 200 soldier’s bullets, all at once until you-“ The voice started.  
Rising his voice he said. “Lemme help you, 1-2-3!”  
Then from he begun to fire at the soldiers and took the first row down, simply spraying bullets around bullets, the sound was deafening. Still firing he pulled out another two guns from his holster on his leg and fired, with one hand and refilling his first gun, daisy covered her ears and saw as the shells fell around their feet, gradually his body was moving sideways and because she was so close to him she followed.  
Still the soldier’s didn’t fire.  
“Stop!” Screamed the voice over the tannoy. “Stop now or you-“  
The metal armed man, moved his gaze up and trying to find what he looked for his with eagle eyes, seeing it he fired at the speaker that was poking out and it fell to the ground in pieces.  
From the further down the hall the voice over the tannoy spoke in another language, Russian or German, Daisy couldn’t tell, and the the line up soldier that still standing what would be the front fired, the shots were poor and the aimed not at her kidnapper but his feet. As if knowing exactly what they were doing, he stepped and jumped his feet way away from their shots. Daisy felt the vibrations on the ground near her.  
Again he started to fire them, pulling out more ammo from his belt and more red grenades and throwing them at the soldiers, 2 at a time, who where still not moving, letting the explosion happen around them without moving away to save themselves. Despite the human cover of her kidnapper on front of her, Daisy could feel the force of the blast through him, as he held himself stead.  
Then there came stillness from her kidnapper and from the room. Her kidnapper wasn’t even out of breath, his hair now fallen more in front of his face as he stood watching ahead of them.  
In the most aggressive voice she had heard him use he yelled out. “Показать себя Бхарани!”  
There was no response, just still and silence.  
Daisy twisted herself around to look what in front and the amount of bodies around them, the sheer destruction in front of was unbelievable…all those soldier, Hydra or otherwise, were dead in front of her.  
Putting his weapons back into his holsters and in single oversized gun in his metal head, he took something small out from a pouch in his belt and shrugged his shoulders. “That just too bad.”  
In one quick move he grabbed Daisy from the waist, flipped her over in front himself, pushing her downwards with his arm he covered her and with his flesh hand pushed a small cap open on what he had removed from his pouch and used it to detonated the grenades in the room behind them. From behind the whole room light up in explosions and flames. As the explosion from each devices that was laid went out at different times her kidnapper, still holding Daisy, begun to move towards the side wall of the hall.  
Looking in front of her she saw the explosions to her right and the dead soldiers, the still alive Hydra soldiers still standing, all in front of her. There was no reaction from them, not to help their fallen comrades or to flee for their lives from the destruction happening around them.  
Her kidnapper pulled out one last grenade, he held the device in front of Daisy’s eyes and she knew what he was about to. With a quick but powerless swipe Daisy went to grab the grenade from her kidnapper's hand, but he elevated it above her reach and looked down at her with angry contempt as he threw the device in front of them, letting it roll to the Hydra soldiers who still stood still. Out of all the explosions that tiny round grenade was the largest, the whole of the room lit up and the ceiling shook from the force of it.  
Not saying a word, he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the hall and into the room where the fire now blazed from the grenades that been detonated moments before. Just entering into the room she could feel the heat all around them. The metal armed man holding her upper left arm and dragged her through the room, seeming to know exactly what was best route to take.  
As she was being pulled she thought she saw something through the flames, a total figure/silhouette of someone, she tried to stop but her kidnapper pulled on. Daisy thought he was leading out the way they had come but instead, he run them over towards a vehicle like she had never seen before, it was a standard not Guinjet, it was more helicopter like, with extended rounded body thick black body that stretched outwards and three think but strong looking propeller on the top.  
Trying her best to keep her balance upon being dragged she fell over several times only to be pulled back up quickly and pulled along with more force. When they stood in front of the helicopter like vehicle, still holding her upper arm with his flesh arm, her kidnapper run his metal hand along the body of the vehicle, seeming to feel for something. Turning her head around she heard a clipping sound but saw nothing through the flames and the destruction behind them.  
A angry grunt escaped the metal armed man lips and he kept moved his sliding his hand cover the area the stood in front of.  
Just as she was about to turn her head back to see what happening and why her kidnapper had grunted, Daisy saw shadowy dim silhouettes of figures walking towards them. Straining her eyes through the smoke and flames she saw more soldiers, marching towards them, all holding very heavy duty weaponry.  
“Er…” Daisy stammered as she kept looking. “Soldiers with big guns…coming.”  
Not turning around, her kidnapper kept looking, his expression not changing.  
The sound of the marching soldiers started to come closer.  
*Click* came a noise in front of them  
A small smile creaked on the metal armed man’s lips.  
The marching grew nearer.  
With his metal hand Daisy kidnapper held on to something on the vehicle in front of them and with almighty heave he somehow managed to completely make the door come away and 2 foot high door was held in his hand for a moment before he threw it to the side as if it was just a piece of scrap metal.  
The inside of the vehicle was before them.  
Grabbing her by the waist her kidnapper picked her up from he ground and threw Daisy inside the vehicle, to which he jumped in a split second later, then turned to his right and found control panel to the vehicle and begun to start up the engines. Daisy watched him and then she looked through the broken doorway of the vehicle to see as the soldiers marched onwards, no more than a few metres away from them, still their pace slow and steady.  
“Take a seat.” Her kidnapper told her firmly. “And hold on.”  
Turning away from him, Daisy saw the rows and rows of seats behind them, the long vehicle was a closed cylinder that she realised was vehicle created to transport the soldiers. Jumping into the seat directly behind him, she begun to fiercely put the safety belt on, the sound of the marching soldier being drowned out by the sound of the engines clashing to life. Just as her belt was on, she left the sensation of their taking off, the ground shakings and propellers above them thumping into action.  
Daisy looked out just as she saw the helmeted and cover faces of the soldier in front of their vehicle stood and disappear as they went upwards, the propelled wind from the vehicle throwing her hair into her face. Still steady on his feet, the metal armed man worked with a mad ease at the control, beside her. Holding on the side of the seat, the vehicle begun to shake as they went upwards.  
Looking out the open door she saw a beam of light flash from above them as they went up.  
The ceiling of the hall slipped apart and the vehicle containing Daisy and her metal armed kidnapper rose from out of the ground in the daylight and the snow covered world outside, the cold of the winter entering in the vehicle, the storm from hall the existed following their tail as the escaped out.  
Quickly the line of the tree tops flipped into her view before vanishing as the vehicle begun to be flown away by her kidnapper into deeper part of Russian to where Daisy had no idea.  
She inhaled a breath and gripped tighter to the seat.  
The metal armed still stand controlling the vehicle said nothing.


	18. 18

**Washington** _1993._  
From where she lay on the ground 4 yr Daisy looked up at the sky, nearby she could the faint sound of other children playing in the park, she had no urge to join them in play, she wanted to watch as the clouds went past her, her view of the patch of sky she was focusing on, the one patch of sky that made her feel at peace at ease.  
Off in the distance a man in a suit with sunglasses was walking towards her, his expression was tired and drawn, though his suit was clean pressed and flawless, the man looked as if he had not slept fully in a long time.  
“Daise.” He called to her.  
Knowing the voice she sat on her elbows and turned her head towards his direction.  
Unlike hundreds of times before when she saw her Father, Daisy Pierce did not smile and run towards her Father for a hug, though a part of wanted to hug she couldn’t bring herself, because inside she knew why he was here and why he walking towards where she was laying peacefully on the ground in the school playground.  
“Daisy, Princess.” Alexander Pierce said in a shaken sad voice in front of her as she glanced up at him. “I need to tell you something…” Inhaling for a moment his knelt down next to her, so he was to her eye level. It was then young Daisy saw, behind her Father’s aviator sunglasses, the red puffiness of his eyes and the blotchy patches around them. Exhaling Pierce went to continue but instead his lip started to shake as he held back his tears, looking at his daughter then made the pain of his loss flood back into his heart again. Looking at her Father with his sad still face she reached over and touch his right hand that was by his side as he knelt down near her. She intertwined their fingers and didn’t say a word.  
That moment Alexander Pierce knew he didn’t have to say anything else to his young daughter, that she already knew and probably knew before he had even arrived.  
Both Father and daughter looked at each other unified in their silent grief for the loss of Daisy’s mother and for Pierce wife, the simple sad fact that this one person they both loved so fully was now gone from their lives forever, left but both unable to say anything, but to just look sadly at each other on what was other a normal sunny autumn day in park.

 

 **Moscow - Russia.**  
_4,666.36 miles From New York_.  
The snow in Moscow had come months ago and had stayed, the snow was like a permanent resident that no-one talked about or paid to much attention to, there had been no let up with it leaving and giving relief to the those that lived there, though not as heavy and as harsh as it had been in previous years it took a person with a good amount of resistance to cold to pay no attention to the snow, which came with knowing what to wear and to live in the cold, or surviving and trying your best to stay warm. Moscow had seen many changed over the last ten years but architecturally the city was the same, the snow covered city with its beautiful candy coloured old churches, cathedrals clock towers around the Red square made for a impressive christmas card image to behold. But further away from the Red Square, far enough to find from the Red Square and with buildings around it seem dull and simple compared, though themed to blend in with it surround and easy enough for anyone with the correct knowledge to find.  
Away from the keen tourist, the local and visitors from nearby Moscow that evening was relatively busy, the week before Christmas was in the air, for the city that still sang with a history of communism and struggles internally for difference large and small, Moscow was in preparation for christmas, like everyone else in the world, everything was normal.  
Facing to where the lights shone on the impressive Moscow cathedrals ahead of in the Red square a man looked at it with pained angered look, he stared at it having a flicker of a memory of something but not managing to hold on to it. Biting his lip he clenched his fist and begun to walk away, almost night had fallen and but the streets were still busy, though a tourist aspect of Russia had changed over the last 2 decades from progressively busier, to filtering out from the variable new fears instilled in people of the new dangers and threats in Russia, the man huddled up in a thick black modern military style coat paid no attention to anyone. Russia, no matter the time of the year, would always draw those who wished to drink, gamble and risk their lives for what they would deem living on the edge, in all truth the centre of Moscow hadn’t changed for the last hundred years, even in the days of the Tsars, the rich and poor divide before communism had centralised the divide of elitist communism and then allowed it to continued it though within different means and ways.  
Russia to this man, held memories that he wished to forgot, but reasons he could’t understand Russia was a place that held as many secrets as it did answers. This was the first time, since his new found memory had begun returning, that he had come to Moscow, willing and with a plan.  
Continuing to walk away from the Red Square towards the lower part of Tverskaya the buildings around him remained grand and of classic Russian style but become less cared for and looked after, the walls were of the buildings cracked and caked in random layering of street graffiti, holding no artistic beautiful other than some use of killing time and showing their gang or name symbols. The evening was on just starting, so the streets were beginning to fizzle out as people made their ways home, cars became less and less around where the man walked down the back streets. Facing ahead the man walked begun to walk towards three young Moscowian man, wrapped up as much the man but there scarves looser and their cheeks a rosier shade of red and with a merrier walk in their step than the man.  
Ignoring them as his shoulders brushed past them the young man didn’t stop when one of the three man hissed a Russian curse word at him, which made him stop dead in his tracks. Not even turning around to face them the man gave a chuckle and spoke to them in Russian.  
“Do not start with me young ones.”  
Of the three the tallest stepped forward and jutted up his head mockingly, placing his hands in his pockets the boy gave a smile. “Why what you going to-“  
Before he could finish the man had moved back towards the young boys, pushed the cocky one up against the wall, pulled him by his shoulder and was glaring at him.  
Calmly and cooly he looked at the now shocked and levitating boy and said. “Go back to your homes and don’t EVER pick on any random people on the street again. Understand?” He gave the young man’s shoulder a squeeze with which a small yelp came out of his mouth,  
Both of the young man’s friends stood frozen watching what was happening in front of them.  
“Okay.” The man replied quickly after his yelp.  
With that, the man left go of the young man’s shoulder and allowed him to slide down the wall on to his backside. Saying no more, he turned and walked away back on his journey. The three young man stayed where they were for half a second before darting off in the other direction as fast as their feet could carry them.

Crouched on the floor near a radiator, hands tied together, with a thick warm duvet covering her shoulders and her body, Daisy had to admit she felt almost comfortable enough to sleep…if wasn’t for her hands tied together. On her lap she was holding a copy of a book she had found under a piece of the furniture, it was all in Russian and she couldn’t understand a single word or letter but she liked holding it and just looking at it, as it was far more interesting than simply looked at the peeling pale blue wall and ceiling and the mix and match sparse 80s furniture in the windowless room/apartment she was currently in.  
Letting out a sign, she closed the book and looked up at the ceiling, the whole day she had been in their she hadn’t heard a single person elsewhere in the building, having arrived there in the night she didn’t know where she was, except definitely still in Russia and still with her kidnapper.  
Then the door opened and her kidnapper walked in, his heavy boots bring in the cold slushy snow with him.  
Looking at him as he came and sat down with his massive coat on the old overused sofa across from her she said nothing at first, just looked at him. In her mind she rolled with the thought of asking something civil or maybe asking if he was going to release her yet, instead she settled for the only thing she knew wouldn't cause any answer or effect him in any way.  
“Hey.”  
Again, there was silence for a moment. His eyes looked down at her, with a unreadable face but not a threatening one.  
Daisy gave her fingers a little stretch, letting them crack a little but sounding louder because the total silence, not bothering to meet his gaze, knowing full well that there was no beating in an eye-contest and that it really just got her nowhere.  
“They weren’t people.”  
Out of nowhere her kidnapper spoke.  
Lifting her head up she looked at him. “Pardon.”  
Eyes meeting hers and his voice controlled and even, as if talking wasn’t enjoyable.  
“Those things that we blew up yesterday, they weren’t people.”  
Narrowing her eyes and now understand what he was talking about. “Were they just soldiers and therefore not people?”  
“No.” He said sharply to her, a hint of anger. “They were things created by Hydra, not yet finished, still being worked on.”  
“Sooo…” Daisy frowned. “Robots? Really…Hydra has whole army of…?”  
“Had.” He corrected her. “Destroyed now, no longer a threat.”  
“Oh.” Daisy breathed, the frown still on her face.  
Again silence.  
Daisy sat thinking and just as a thought entered into her head and she opened her mouth to speak her kidnapper interjected and said. “I am not lying. Think, did you see any blood and did any try to run?”  
“No…they didn’t.” Daisy answered. “But why are you telling me this?”  
“You didn't kill any humans...they weren't humans." He replied, his blue eyes looked sternly at her, as if he wanted her to truly understand what he was saying. For a moment they held each-other's gaze and it then she saw something in his eyes she hadn't seen before, pain, not anger, not resentment, but pain, a pain that sat on his shoulders and a pain he carried with him, a pain almost as heavy as his metal arm and as she saw in his eyes she knew that his telling her this, was his way of trying to ensure that whatever pain he felt, that she didn't feel even an inch of pain that he did. She felt grateful to him then but even though she wanted to tell him, she simply couldn't. Instead she lowered her head and leaned back against the wall, trying to get more comfortable again.


	19. 19

**_New York_ ** \- **_Upper East Side._**

Inside a retro 1950s dinner three individuals sat inside one of the shiny red leather booths, all three trying to look busy. One of the three wear a old New York Nicks baseball cap, keeping his head low as he looked over the menu for the tenth time since they had arrived, sat next to him the other individual was woman with red hair, tied neatly and tightly back in a pun, she casually was texting and reading on her phone, holding a both an air of patience and boredom as she did so. The other individual didn’t busy themselves or look at all at ease as he sat there, looking over his shoulder in one direction, while trying to look to the other from the corner of his eyes, as he creaked his knuckles.  
The dinner’s walls were covered from floor to ceiling with old pin-up stars, actors, music icon, baseballs, boxers and old vintages cars, there wasn’t inch of the dinner that hadn’t been created to try and not fit into its era, even down to the jukebox, with in the corner played out a swinging cover song. Despite all this the dinner was empty expect for the three individual and the bored service staff, who were either standing behind the counter painting their nails or trying to wrap their christmas present on the black and white dinner counter top.  
“He’ll be here soon.” The Red Hair Natasha Ramanov said cooly as she put her phone in her jacket pocket and rested her palms on the table.  
“You know I hate open places like these.” Doctor Banner said in low voice. “Too many people.”  
Giving a little chuckle Steve Rogers stopped his looking over the menu and looked over at Doctor Banner. “I think this is the only place on the upper east side that’ll be quiet in this time of year, which is probably why Fury chose it.”  
“Not exactly.” Came a voice from in front of their booth.  
All three looked up to see Nick Fury, former Director Of SHIELD, the man of mystery and filled with secrets and intel of to many things for one person. No longer wearing his eye patch, he wear style rayban sunglasses and warm beanie hat that covered his ears and look thick brown winter suede jacket.  
“Went past here a few weeks ago, looked interesting.” Fury said with shrugged.  
All three gave each other slightly amused glances before giving their attention back to Fury. Out his jacket pocket he pulled out a tablet which he passed to Doctor Banner. “This is the best I could get so far, but I have leads looking for me as we speak.” Flipping on the tablet, a image came up of pixelated close up a girl with a heavy coat on, head down, walking through a crowd someone, tapping the image the name of when where appeared.  
“Newark? 4 days, she could be anywhere-“ Banner blurted out.  
Natasha placed a comforting hand on Doctor Banner arm, stopping him talking. “Its something, we didn’t have anything before this Bruce.”  
Straightening up Fury looked at Doctor Banner. “I have a few people who still have to get back to me.”  
“Do you trust them?” Doctor Banner said firmly.  
“Only that they will get what I ask for when I ask for and they always get what I ask for.” Fury responded back firmly.  
Taking the tablet from Doctor Banner gently Steve Rogers asked as he looked at the image. “Is she alone?”  
“As far has been found so far, no.” Fury answered.  
“Who has her?” Doctor Banner.  
Looking over Rogers shoulder Natasha scanned the image. “Someone who is very good at hiding.” Flicking her fingers on the tablet she zoomed into the image and made it look behind the image of the girl, to show a image who was walking behind her, obscured by the girl, walking close to her, so that the image of the two almost overlapped. “And who knows how to hide.”  
From next to her, as he held the tablet Rogers inhaled a breath as he too looked closely at the image, trying to see if it was the person he thought it could be. “Do you have any leads who it is?”  
Though Fury was still as composed as ever, he gave a tight and quick answer that showed his annoyance and frustration at the situation. “No…this person is operating old school style, there not using anything modern we can trace or track them with easily. But…” looking directly at Banner. “hasn’t ever stopped me before.”  
Steve Rogers looked at the other figure in the image and knew he had to ask Fury directly. “Is it Bucky?”  
Both Natasha and Fury exchanged a glance at each other, though it was quick and though Fury’s eyes were covered by his sunglasses the ex-russian spy knew full how to read Fury.  
“There’s a very strong possibility it is.” Fury answered.  
Doctor Banner banged his hand on the table, so hard it caused the table to shake and the staff in the dinner to jerk to answer, though it was n’t a Hulk hit, it was stronger than anything that the Doctor would normal give, which was a sign the Doctor was rippling underneath with his Hulk-self at that moment. Through gritted teeth and in a strained voice that begun to bubble with anger Doctor Banner said. “Its my fault…I couldn’t have ever let her leave the Tower, I knew that something like this would happen to her.”  
“Bruce…” Natasha said in a calm voice, leaning across the table to him. “Daisy wanted out of the Tower, she wanted the ability to live away, she knew the risks.” Touching his palm she squeezed it. “Daisy is stronger and smarter than you know Bruce…we’re gonna find her.”  
“Yeah…” Doctor Banner said under his breath. “I know…but this shouldn’t be happening to her…she came to me for help.”  
Fury took the tablet from Rogers and looked at Doctor Banner. “Banner, I’m not going to tell exactly how but believe me, I’m doing everything to find her. I owe that girl my life and I’m not going to give up her…so you better not give up her either.”  
Banner raised his head to look at Fury. “I’m not giving up on her.”  
“Good.” Fury said.  
Saying nothing else, Fury turned on his heels and walked out as quickly and quietly as he walked out.  
All three friends sat in the booth in silence for a moment.  
Steve Rogers had found a new real link to finding his friend Bucky Barnes, the friend to whom had been used as a weapon by Hydra for the 50 years and had been made into The Winter Soldier, to whom had been out there alone for over a year, probably trying to piece back his memories and find out what had happened to him.  
Bruce Banner had find the first shred of information to what could have happened to his friend Daisy Pierce and though it was slim and there was nothing solid, there was now more hope than there had been that morning in finding her.  
Natasha Romanov was neither friends of the two people that were being sort for, she knew Daisy and she had researched Barnes/Winter Soldier but she was friends with the two people she sat at the table with and though between the two of them finding who the wanted was still looking hopeless and near impossible she was knew that she had to help them both…even though at the moment the anger she knew one would have over the other to what one had done to their friend was something she knew was ahead for them, Natasha was going to do what she could.


	20. 20

**One Year Earlier**  
**Several Miles Underground**  
_Washington_

Daisy found herself waking up with a strange cold sensation covering her body, as her eyes begun to open the light came through she could feel a odd breeze as if she was outside. A groan escaped her mouth, as she fully opened her eyes to see the fluorescent ceiling lights above her. Trying to move her hand she found that they were strapped down to the side of a table she was laying on, she gave them a pull but she could barely rise them up. Her internal reaction was to yell or shout but she knew better, yelling out would let it be known she was awake and a sliver of fear to what torture would occur next if they knew she was awake stopped her.  
Turning her head she tried to take in her surroundings, she was no longer in the torture room, she in what appeared to be an empty white and grey room, there was a strange very clinical feel to the place.  
At the thought that the room she was in could not just a clinically inclined room but medical room, possibly an operating room and possible the next phrase of torture for her. With more force she tried to pull at the straps on her arms and legs, then she begun to slide herself on the table but discovered that her middle was also strapped down.  
“No…” She whispered to herself hopelessly.  
Inside Daisy begun to feel fear like she had never felt, she was completely alone and no-one was going to help, the people she loved and trusted the most were the ones involved in this, and all her friends had no idea she was even there.  
A sob escaped her mouth uncontrollably.  
But then a thought came into her head, that she really had no clue what was happening, she knew that her Father and sister were keen for her to see their side of things but she didn’t know what all this was in aid of, was it to wear her down, exhaust her, use emotional and physical torture to make her ‘join’? She realised one of of two things; none were going to kill her and that if she played along she could get away and stop what they were doing.  
Looking up to the light above her, she begun to think quickly, she knew that in order to convince her family that she part of their wonderful Hydra she really going to have make them believe but she knew she also had to make it look as if she had really been joined.  
Taking a deep breath Daisy begun to shout and scream for help.  
“Somebody help me!” Her voice was hoarse but loud. “Somebody help me!”  
It didn’t take long for someone to come into the room.  
In a long white doctor coat, wearing his small round glasses and having a strong chemical like smelling aftershave Doctor Whitehall walked over to the table she lay on.  
“Doctor Pierce, you do have a good set of lungs on you, don’t you?” A sly smile played on his thin lips.  
Turning her head as far she could manage to look Whitehall. “Whats happening? Where’s my Father? My sister? Please let me out.” Her voice was pained and strained, Daisy was trying her best to look terrified and to try to make Whitehall think she was going to be easily pacified to join Hydra.  
Putting his hands behind his back he walked closer to the table and looked down her, his head tilting slightly to the side. “Doctor Pierce, I truly envy you, you one of the luckiest girls ever created.”  
Not speaking her eyes scanned him, the closeness of him and his strange creepy press made Daisy extremely uncomfortable, even without the fact that she strapped down on a table.  
“Ooooh, please don’t look frightened, you’ll understand very soon, when I’m finished with you today, you will finally start to reach your potential.”  
Whitehall stepped back from the table and the table flipped up right, putting Daisy into at first an upright position, the speed in which this was done caused her head to spin. She flicked her eyes around quickly, seeing that it was just her and Whitehall alone in the room, straight ahead that was a mirror, which instantly she knew why it was where; she was being observed by than likely her sister and father. She tried to focus, to see if she could see anything through the mirror, but from the floor a device rose up and went in front of her. Her eyes couldn’t focus at her first but when they did it was a small screen flashing in front of her.  
“I consider it a great privilege doing this.” Doctor Whitehall said from beside her. “Being the one will break you.”  
Daisy swallowed. I can do this; she told herself. You just have to play along…just play along.  
“Your Father, I owe him a great deal.” Whitehall told her. “Releasing me from Rat in 1989, knowing that I was the best person for the job to help start his new work and letting me continue my own.” Shaking his head and smile at a memory. “I knew the day would come that someone like your father and sister would see that Hydra was so much more and had the vision to take the next step.”  
Flipping her eyes she tried to look at Whitehall but couldn’t see him.  
From the side of screen two mirrors flipped out and came to the side of face and reflecting the screen, creating a strange bouncing picture effect. Then in front of her images flashed up, none that she make out careful but they kept repeating, slowly she begun to see them. Images of Hydra and WW2, of The Red Skull, flicking, slow and then fast.  
Though she knew her intention was play along and convince Whitehall she ‘broken’, Daisy asked. “Hydra propaganda? Really?”  
In a stern serious voice Whitehall replied. “Wait.”  
Film footage and images of international world events begun flashing up, presidential murders, political murders, deaths, explosions, fires, bombing, flooding, storms, riots, fighting, famine, sick and diseased all flashed up again and again, which slowly begun being interjected with other footage contacting with Hydra, showing major events over the last century were all caused and created by Hydra. Watching it Daisy feel a jolt of panic, her mind was trying to process it all, trying to put logic to everything, put reason to how it was possible, but finding it hard because it kept appearing before her, again and again, with more detail. Then more Hydra propaganda was thrown in, though it was bizarrely a relief from the other some of the other images.  
This fact begun to worry Daisy because she knew this was part of the breaking.  
In her head Daisy begun to create a safe place, the safe place was her being in India, working, doing the work she enjoyed, work she knew was doing good, work that had nothing to do with Hydra or SHIELD and was based only on the work of herself and others. Her memories of being with he family and children, being the Doctors helping the people in the country, simple and mundane things but wonderful things that had made her feel as the world was a great and wonderful place. This little pocket place was hers, she knew as long as she had that, she could carry on with the plan, she could do it…she could do it.


	21. 21

**Moscow - Russia.**  
_4,666.36 miles From New York_  
When she was untied Daisy made the assumption that they were to go to another location and she was to be shoved and again into a vehicle and taken somewhere unknown to her, again, so when she was handed her bag of clothes and told with a gruff voice by her kidnapper’s to use the bathroom and wash up she was very relieved. The relief she felt at having a quick shower and letting the tepid hot water hit her gave Daisy a small amount of peace, she tried her best not to close her eyes and fall asleep and though she would have preferred to shower longer and have the water warmer, she didn’t mentally or verbally complain. Putting clean clothes on and stepping out she was greeted with the smell of food.  
Sat in a chair far too small for him and table that had seen better days was her metal armed kidnapper. In front of him were 4-5 boxes of Chinese/Orietial take away food, the steam and the smell oozing out of the all over the room.  
Unsure what to do, Daisy stood look at her kidnapper, her stomach begun to growl and grumble.  
“Sit and eat.” Was all he said.  
Not waiting another second she walked over to the table and started to look inside the boxes, the boxes were all the same size and all green labeled.  
“There all the same.” Her kidnapper said as he reached forward and took a box and a plastic fork from the table.  
Daisy swallowed, she felt worried asking what was all the same.  
“Noodles and vegetables.” He said before he started to eat.  
For a moment Daisy didn’t move, she watched as he ate and the way he ate reminded her of a person in prison, he kept the box and the fork close to his mouth, not losing a single piece and eating it as if it was his last or first meal. It might have been he noticed she wasn’t eating or he felt her looking at him, with food in his mouth his hissed at her. “Eat!”  
With that Daisy begun to eat.  
What Daisy could only guess was 5 mins her metal armed kidnapper had eaten 4 of the boxes, while she was still only 1/3 of the way through the one she was eating. When finished, the empty boxes in front of him, her kidnapper leant forward in his tiny chair and then placed in palms together, similar to a praying position and looked down at the floor in total silence. Daisy continued to eat her food, trying very hard to not make much noise, but gradually finding it harder and harder as she reached the bottom of the box. When finished, she placed the box on the table and crossed her arms over her lap and sat in her kidnappers silence.  
Bitting her lip she said. “Thank you…for the food.” Then she too looked at the floor, she begun to noticed the long and scratches that stretched out all over the floor, some deep and old, some deeper and newer.  
There was no response, which Daisy had anticipated.  
Maybe the food or the fact there was temporary amount of civilness between them for the moment, Daisy said, without taking a breath before. “I remember you.”  
Both were still looking down at the floor.  
“I remember when my Father bought me to you.” Daisy said in a low voice. “And all the things my Father said you had done…you had done because of Hydra and him.”  
From where he sat she could hear the sound of twitching in his metal arm as if he was flexing it uncomfortable.  
Continuing, though a part of her wanted to stop herself Daisy managed to make her eyes look up at him. “I don’t blame you if you want to kill me…but can you just tell me why I am here? I have no value to you.”  
Again there was no response, which began to make Daisy feel angry, she felt angry for all the strength and courage it had take to speak and nothing, she had feared the worst but instead, nothing.  
“Please…Winter-!” Daisy started but before she could finish her kidnapper bought his metal arm crashing down on the small table in front of them and making the empty boxes fly up and the crash down on the floor. With the boxes rolling on the floor in their own state of shock of being thrown, the two sat in silence, even their breathing was equally silent as one another.  
Unfolding her arms Daisy stood up, walked over to the corner of the room where the radiator was, and to where she had been tied to before, sat down on the ground crossed legged and said nothing. Though she wanted to say more, she knew that there was no point.  
Staring down at the ground her kidnapper started to speak, his voice still gruff and croaky but not as angry as previously. “They called me The Asset, The Fist Of Hydra…when they woke me up, i never knew my name…just Soldier…when I started to remember I was swiped again.” Touching the back of his head and still looking at the ground he continued. “They put things in my head, plates that make my brain their’s, anything they wanted, I did, there was nothing i wasn’t capable of…the whole time, I didn’t know my name.”  
Looking at him, her eyes were wide open from the shock that he was actually talking to her, that words were coming out of his mouth that were angry directions or instructions to her.  
“Do you know your name now?” Daisy asked quietly.  
Lifting his head from he looked directly at her, he gave a small nod. “Yes.” He said. “Its James.”  
Both held each other gaze for a moment, neither one looking away. Swallowing the nerves she held, Daisy attempted again to ask. “...Why am I here?”  
Still holding her gaze and this time with a voice which Daisy felt was more the person James that he was then that of The Winter Soldier. “You’re the key to getting my revenge on Hydra Doctor Pierce.”


	22. 22

**One Year Earlier**  
 **Several Miles Underground**  
_Washington_

 

“Enough.” Whitehall said from behind her.  
Daisy felt her muscle loosen for a moment, she had no idea just how long she had been where she was, the images that that had been in front of her still placed in her mind even when the screen was switched off and she closed her eyes. Taking deep breaths, she swallowed, she felt drained and exhausted, there had to be to be more to these images and footage, it wasn't just to mind beat her into seeing Hydra as the power pull of all the terrible things that had occurred, showing them as the puppet masters that held the world on strings, though it really was nauseating to think of, a part of Daisy knew that Hydra couldn’t be all that powerful…could they?  
“Doctor Pierce,” Whitehall said he walked in front of her. “Tell me how you are feeling currently?”  
Flicking her eyes to try to look at him past the instrument in front of her, she wanted to give a cutting remark that would show what she was really feeling but knew that wouldn’t work too well for her plan. Use a shaky uneven voice she replied. “Frightened…Hydra…there everywhere…in everything.”  
“Yes.” He nodded. “But tell me what you feel?”  
Thinking she knew she had give an answer that only a Doctor like Whitehall would take. “I feel phantasmagoric.”  
“Good. You are starting to see the glory and wonder that is Hydra.” Whitehall said with a small smile.  
“I…understand that they are…” Daisy searched for the words, she knew that in the window across from her she was being watched and more than likely being filmed, so whatever she said had to still sound as if it was her words. “the cause and answer.”  
“To what?” Whitehall asked stepping closer.  
“To what has happened and what will happen.” Daisy replied, she let her eyes look back to the now empty screen. “To do what Hydra has done, they can also undo it and do what needs to be done.”  
From behind the two way window watching Daisy, Alexander Pierce and Caitlin Pierce, who sat a table next to each other, not turned and looked at each other. Alexander Pierce smiled slightly at his elder daughter. “She’s starting to understand.”  
Not smiling back or showing any emotion, Caitlin looked back at her sister. “No, she playing the short game Dad, this isn’t Daisy, she would never began to comply so quickly.”  
A scowl came across Alexander’s face, the creases in his forehead intensifying. “I won’t have anyone operating on Daisy Caitlin, I’ve told you we’re doing it MY way.”  
“You gave her too much freedom.” Caitlin said under her breath.  
“I gave her enough to allow her to develop.” Alexander answered matter of factly. “The same I did with you.”  
Still looking over at Daisy, Caitlin said. “I want Whitehall to begin The Faustus method now.”  
Alexander Pierce looked back over at Daisy as well for a moment, his expression blank and unreadable. Reaching out to his right he pressed a button on the table they sat at.  
In the room which Daisy was being held, there came the sound a gentle double beep from somewhere. Whitehall who was still in front of her smiled at her from where he stood.  
“Doctor Pierce…will are going to start to help make you more compliant to Hydra.” Whitehall told her.  
In front of the screen came back to life and instead of more propaganda of a swirling pattern of hypnotic colours and shapes in front of her, the side of her eyes begun to ache from the intensity of it movements that oddly seemed to morph out of the frame of the screen and go all around of her.  
“Now please take a deep breath. Calm your mind. You know what is best. What is best is you comply. Compliance will be rewarded."


	23. 23

**Moscow - Russia.**  
_4,666.36 miles From New York_

Walking out the apartment Daisy Pierce felt nervous, she hadn’t asked where they were going, partly because she knew that she wasn’t going to be told and because she didn’t want to know. The last hour or so with her kidnapper had been strange, after their small talk he had had a shower and changed, not saying a word as she sat on the floor near the radiator tied up again (something which it was only after he had done it she realised he had). The sign that they were actually leaving was when he place his bulky massive military style coat on, pulling the double breasted coat over his thick chest and to button it up and then put on a pair of leather gloves.  
From the corner of her eye she looked, she knew that he was going to take her with him.  
On the floor near the overused dying sofa he took out one of Daisy coats and walked over to her holding it. He put it in front of her and then out through the binds on her wrists, again. “Put it on.” he muttered, his tone low and unemotional.  
Still sitting she put her dark khaki hooded coat on, grateful she wasn't going to wear the fur coat again by command. Standing up, she tried her best to ignore the cramping pins and needles in her feet, but couldn’t manage it, so she started to tap her feet to try to get rid of the sensation, which her kidnapper watched her do with confusion as he towered in front of her. Realising she essentially looking ridiculous, she gave a embrassed grimace. “Sorry…cramp.”  
With a slight annoyed head-shake he put his hand one her shoulder to guild her towards the door, which she walked to unsteadily as the cramp begun to dissolve.  
Walking Daisy begun to read the Russian graffiti in around her, her feet making gentle crunch noise on the snow with kidnappers heavy boots follow hers much louder and heavier in the snow. She could tell by some of uncared and run down buildings that they were in a part of city that wasn’t the best to be, but probably the best to go around unnoticed. She noticed a sign ahead of her that was in several languages one which was English, which read Moscow Metro, Daisy realised they were in somewhere in Moscow, she didn’t realise her footsteps had slowed as she saw the sign, because her kidnapper gave her a gentle shove on the shoulder from behind.  
“Yes we’re in Moscow.” He mumbled.  
“Oh…” Daisy said.  
Again they continued to walk and where they walked the streets begun to more snow covered and with more people on them, all walking normally about their business, fully unaware of the dangerous assassin walking near them. As the crowd became more dense, her kidnapper changed his pace and pulled Daisy by her shoulder nearer, where upon he kept himself very close to her, to the point that his height basically shadowed her. In a quiet voice he asked. “Do you speak or know Russian?”  
Looking ahead Daisy shake her head. “No, I know a little Polish and Czech but not Russian…just the bad words.”  
Though she couldn’t see his face she thought she sense a small smirk on his face as he laugh like grunt from behind her.  
“Good.” Was he responded with as he directed her down an ally away.  
The response of the word gave Daisy a chill, because she knew that not knowing was in no way going to help her.  
Where they begun walking toward gradually changed, instead of rundown or uncared, the walked now were a mixture of old and new Russian, colourfully painted buildings and more artistic graffiti, with better cared for streets, though as they walked on past the tramways and across an intersection, the lighting begun to dim and the alleyway became nearer and much less busier, Daisy turned to right and off in the distance she could some the Cathedrals and iconic pointed roofs of Moscow. As the continued on, Daisy begun to see her kidnapper looking more carefully around and over his shoulder, which was the first time she had seen him do, which made her nervous.  
After a few more minutes they turned another corner in alleyway and walked down it, this alleyway was short, shorten by painted black wall with a sprayed painted of large red crying gothic looking Russian Doll, the eye of the painting slitted with red tears. Looking at it, it was both frightening and odd, Daisy had never seen anything like it. Standing in front of it, she realised over to the right a dim red light sone over a hidden doorway, the door itself painted completely black.  
Taking a risk, Daisy looked up at her kidnapper who must have known she would look at him, as he looked down her also, his expression unreadable. Barely moving his lips, he leant his head down to her left her ear from behind, his breath warm but chilling on the tip of her ear. “You do not say anything, not a single word, inside I nod at you and point you go. Clear?”  
Turning at the doorway, Daisy gulped, what was behind this door she knew was going to be just as bad if not worse than what she had faced in the warehouse with her kidnapper because despite the extremity of the previous situation, at least there she felt bizarrely comfortable knowing her kidnapper was armed but it dawned on her that now, then, her kidnapper had felt the apartment unarmed, not a single weapon on him.  
Leaning over with his right metal arm her kidnapper banged on the door 5 times and waited.  
Daisy held her breath as she stared at the door. Just then, snow begun to fall silently around them in the alleyway, against the steel black door it managed hazy. Then, steadily the door creaked itself open, bring with it heat and an old dank smoke smell, slowly a dim light came out and showed them in. With a prod Daisy walked in through the door.

 

 

 **One Year Earlier**  
**Several Miles Underground**  
_Washington_

Never had Daisy felt so jumbled in her head mentally, she couldn’t form thoughts, her head didn’t just ache, it stung, her eyes burned and her body felt like it was falling even though it was being held up.  
Please make this stop. She managed to think desperately to herself in a lower part of her mind away from the scramble.  
Again Whitehall kept repeating and repaying the words about compliance, his tone calm and serene.  
How could this be happening? How could she be here, she was going to wake up in her bed and everything was fine…wasn’t she?  
“Surrender Doctor, let go of all those things you are holding onto, open yourself up to see the trueness before you, the trueness of Hydra and the order it will being.” Whitehall said from behind her, right next to her ear.  
Staring at the image before her, swirling and moving in front of her, she tried to find the safe place she had created, but she couldn’t find it, she was losing it, she felt panicked, Daisy’s breathing increased. What was it? It was there…but what was it.  
Despite having been calm and composed for the longest time talking to her, only change to become more forcefully in the many hours they had been doing this, Whitehall walked in front of Daisy’s view and put his face in front of hers, his hair was messier and his tie was undone, the collar button undone, he looked far less physically composed than when they had first started, fatigued and drained looking, his voice now no longer hypnotising but aggressive and impatient,. “Come now Doctor Pierce, stop being such a silly child and see your potential, you and I are part of a greater future, you just have to let out!”  
Child. Daisy thought. Mandisa…sweet child…the child she had lived with when she was working in Africa, the sweet child who had loved to hear the stories of the other children out there in the world, the children in India who had made a video for Mandisa about themselves for her. Sweet child…That’s it! I found it! Daisy thought.  
Daisy’s thoughts came back into her mind, she remembered what she had to do…she had to hold on to herself but had to pretend, she had to convince them, she had to make them think she was part of their plan.  
“Compliance,” Whitehall said with his face still in front of hers, his voice still stern but not as aggressive. “is the key.”  
You can do this. Daisy thought to herself. You can’t keep this up much longer.  
Weakly she licked her painfully dry lips, the movement stung and took longer than it had ever before, her head wobbled as she did so. In a weak voice which was barely a whisper Daisy said one word. “Compliance…”  
Hearing this word, Whitehall grinned, he came closer toward Daisy’s face, his eyes widening in glee. “will be…”  
“Rewarded…” Daisy finished for him in a weak voice.  
“Surrender-and-you-will-find…” Whitehall said slowly, looking down at Daisy.  
“Meaning…” Daisy finished in whisper.  
His smile changing from glee to a calmer sly smug smile Whitehall continued calm and slowly. “You know what’s best-“  
“The best is you…comply.” Daisy said with Whitehall slowly, their tone almost matching it weren’t for the weakness in her voice.  
Standing back, so that the in front of them the two way mirror in front of them had a view of Daisy, allowing those behind to see her fully, her exhausted, weak state in front them.  
From the behind the mirror Alexander Pierce sat still his gaze focused on his daughter, behind stood Caitlin Pierce who too stared at Daisy.  
In a cool calm smooth voice “Are you ready to comply Doctor Pierce?”  
With all the strength she could muster to her voice Daisy kept her eyes focused ahead, trying her best to keep her head upright. “Hail Hydra.”  
Daniel Whitehall nodded and smiled down at Daisy, feeling gleefully at his success in breaking Daisy Pierce. Watching Alexander Pierce stood up from his seat and turned to his eldest daughter and nodded at her, to which she nodded back at him.


	24. 24

**One Year Earlier.**  
 **Hydra Location.**  
_Washington._

 

It was a few days after Daisy’s supposed joining of Hydra, she had been allowed to rest, Hydra agents had taken her somewhere where was she was placed in a room to rest, her body had never felt so drained, it was as if all her senses were pulled and pushed, she could’t understand how they had done what they had, she had to keep reminding herself that she had survived, she wasn’t dead and her mind was still hers…she had to just keep playing as she was a part of Hydra. Though she hadn’t seen or heard from her Father or sister, she knew she was being watched.  
Laying in bed she been put in, she turned over and closed her eyes, she felt a tear roll down cheek uncontrollable, she wanted nothing more to have Renata there to talk to her and give her normality, to make all the nightmare go away.  
Renata…Was she okay, would her Father harm her or make her join Hydra? Daisy thought.  
With her eyes closed, she knew that she must gave nothing away and she needed to plan what to do next. There had to be a way that she could stop what was going to happen with Project Insight, she knew that her Father was going to begin soon but how soon she didn’t know. Daisy thought carefully about what her Father had told her about his plans for the next few weeks that she there was nothing out of the ordinary, the only thing she knew about was her Father telling her he was due to introduce a new wave of security for Shield, which meant ‘a lot of paperwork’, as he had put it, on the 13th of that the next month, which was over 14 days away.  
Think Daisy, think. She told herself.  
There had to be a way she could stop it…but how, she was 100 pounds midget who knew nothing about doing anything of use, she was a Doctor, she knew how to operate and diagnosis but she couldn’t fight or shoot or…kill.  
Shield…it still existed, not everyone could be a part of Hydra, there had to people she could tell that could help or stop Project Insight, but who? She knew no-one within Shield, she had meet a few people at her Father’s party but who could possibly, without a doubt not be a part of Hydra?  
Sleep overcame her but Daisy knew that the small amount of peace she would then in her sleep she had to savour because she was had her work cut for herself if she going to do this.

 

**One Year Earlier**   
_Washington, Normanstone Terrace._

Alexander Pierce sat at his kitchen dining room table with his newspaper in front of him, next to him was a cup of black coffee and now untouched oatmeal, it was early morning, the sun was streaming into the kitchen, the day was normal, outside the planed glass door to his garden, the local gardener tended to his grass and the spring flowers. He sat alone but from behind him his housekeeper Renata was putting away the groceries she had bought that morning for the household, she was quiet and her face stern, when finished, closing the fridge Renata looked over at Pierce and pushed her lips together, holding hands by her side, she begun moving her fingers, so they creaked at her side, this was angry habit she had developed over the years, when she didn’t want to speak ill or out of turn of people.  
Turning the page of his newspaper Alexander Pierce took a sip of his coffee. “What is it Renata?”  
Clearing her throat, straightening her back, looking at Pierce the same way she would when she had found he had been eating cheesecake Renata said. “Its been 4 days Mr Pierce and Daisy hasn’t been home.”  
Not turning around and replying matter-of-factly Pierce said. “My daughter is 26 years old Renata and she’s perfectly capable of looking after herself, I do not have to keep tabs on her.”  
“Hmmm.” Renata said. “She hadn’t take any of her things.”  
Scanning his newspaper with his finger and speaking in a annoyed voice but still not turning around Pierce. “She hasn’t gone far Renata.”  
Walking towards where he sat, Renata Meiser’s face was filled with concern and worry, all the emotion she had hidden, flowed out, she held her palms together in a almost pray like appearance. Standing behind him, she said in a pleading voice. “Mr Pierce, this is not like Daisy, she would never go like this…something has happened. You MUST contact the police!”  
Lifting his head up away from his paper, Pierce knew this would be coming eventually, he admired the fact Renata had managed to keep herself composed for as long as she had, he had thought by at least the second night she would of voiced her concerned, but she had wanted until the fourth day. In a way, he felt touched that Renata was still as concerned for his daughter as she was when Daisy was 7, but he knew that he was going to have to put a stop to this, there was to be no more of it, if Renata was going to be allowed to live she was going to have to behave and be more compliant. Pierce didn’t worry though, he knew that as long as Renata lived she would care and do anything for Daisy, which would work very much in keeping her controlled.  
“Renata…” Pierce said firmly looking at her from the reflection of the windows in front of kitchen dinning table, he expression was stern and aggressive, his brow narrowed and eyes tight. “Daisy is fine and there is nothing to worry about, nothing has happened to her.”  
“But Mister Pierce!” Renata begged, stepping closer so that she was standing right next to him. “Where has she gone, she has never done this before!”  
Still looking at her through the reflection he felt the urge then to kill Renata, he disliked being questioned and he really didn’t want his housekeeper poking into his family business but he stopped himself. Less angrily he said again. “Daisy is fine.”  
At the moment the sound of the front door opening and someone coming in came from the other room. Still looking at Renata, Pierce let a small smile play onto his lips. As if a firework had gone off in the other room, Renata turned round and looked to the doorway, she begun to walk towards the doorway slowly, besides those in that room there was only two other people who had keys to the house to be able to come in.  
Standing up from the table, holding his coffee cup Alexander Pierce stood looking at the doorway.  
Walking in, wearing smart very famine red and black pencil skirt suit was Caitlin Pierce, she walked with the grace and elegance of a cat, her high heeled shoes making gently click, click noise as she walked. As she saw her Father a small smiled played on a her lips, she let her eyes flick to Renata briefly, before she walked over to her Father side at the table.  
Slowly into the room, following Caitlin was Daisy. She too was dressed smartly, she wear pant suits with a slim fitting blazer with the sleeves rolled up, her hair was neat and sleek, her posture was straight and head was high. Her lips was in a firm line as she walked in, her face expressionless, she stood in the entrance way, Renata to the side of her.  
Renata’s face was in shock she had never seen Daisy dressed as she was, she looked as she come from a finance meeting.  
Not turning her head but letting her eyes turn to Renata, Daisy nodded an acknowledge to Renata that she had seen her.  
“Bubabla?” Renata asked slowly.  
Not answering she looked over at her Father in front of her. She gave a small smile and said a calm voice. “Good Morning Father.”  
Putting his coffee cup down and straightening his back, Alexander Pierce smiled at his daughter and asked in a inquisitive smooth voice. “Morning Daisy. How are you feeling today?”  
Letting a bigger smile on her face Daisy answered. “Well, I am ready to comply with anything that needs doing today.”  
Watching the interaction between Daisy and her Father, Renata’s face read like a riot, shocked and confused, her eyes darting back and forth between the two, she knew many sides of Daisy, she had seen how she was when she was working, she knew Daisy as if she was her own…but the person in front of her, the way her smile on her didn’t allow the dimple that Renata knew and loved so well to appear, shocked her.  
“Wonderful.” Pierce said clapping his hands together and smiling pleased back at Daisy he walked over to her. When in front of her, he kissed her on her forehead, like he had done many times before but this time it was done in different manner, it was more formal than Renata had seen them do so before. “I’ll get ready and we’re get started.”  
“Yes Father.” Daisy replied, with that strange smile on her Father.  
Now with both Father and daughter in front of her, Renata mouth of open in shock. What was happening in front of her?  
“Renata.” Caitlin’s voice said firmly across the room. “Shouldn’t you be cleaning or something?”  
Turning her head around to look at Caitlin Pierce, Renata narrowed her eyes and shoot her a look that could sharpen knives. Since Caitlin had return Renata had had little interaction with her, to which she was grateful, the two had been on unfriendly enemies to one another for many years, Renata had held her tongue many times when it had come to how she felt about Caitlin, she considered caitlin the complete opposite to her sister, who was kind, sweet, honest and decent to all and everyone, something that Caitlin was not. Caitlin Pierce considered Renata a busy body whom should have been replaced years ago.  
“Yes.” Renata replied curtly to Caitlin.  
Turning back to look at Daisy, she didn’t see a flinch or a twitch from her, usually she would try to smooth anything between the two but she stood doll like and looking at her Father.  
Saying no more, Renata left the room and begun to start her daily chores, she managed to look back at Daisy from outside the hallway when she picked up the laundry basket from the floor, she could see that Alexander Pierce and Caitlin were talking to each other for a moment away from Daisy, and Daisy stood perfectly still looking out a head in to the garden.  
With her eyes focused on the garden outside, trying to listen in her Father and sister as they spoke, whilst maintaining her perfect appearance and composure, Daisy mentally willed her mind to try to apologise to Renata, knowing full well that Renata knew something was very wrong and off. Inside Daisy felt terrible, she been rude to Renata, she worried Renata and she had said nothing, she had allowed Caitlin to be rude to Renata…but she knew that she had to, she had to keep it up, she couldn’t put Renata at any risk and she had to see her plan through.  
I’m so sorry Renata. Daisy thought to herself quietly.


	25. 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've rewrote this too many times, be aware implications of abuse and rape in this chapter (again implied but more explained within the next two chapters).

Moscow - Russia.  
4,666.39 miles From New York

Initially it was the smell that hit Daisy first, it was the dank smell of old sickly sweet alcohol, mixed with cigarettes and cheap aftershave of the musty variety, then she felt the stickiness of the floor, her shoes becoming more absorbed into it as she walked on it, this was all after only walking a few steps in through the entrance that laid to a black hallway, to where there was another door ahead.  
As she moved she heard a voice in Russian behind her, looking over she saw a very bulky pale greyed haired middle aged man with a cigarette in his hand standing against the wall, he was wore a black shirt and black gillet and black trousers, against the painted black walls he almost completely blended in if wasn’t for his hair and pale skin.  
Both Daisy and her kidnapper stopped and stood still, her kidnapprr having squeezed her shoulder as an induction to do so.  
Stepping in front of them, the bulky man said something to her kidnapper.  
“Weapons/Oружие?” The man asked.  
Unbuttoning his coat, the metal armed up lifted up arms to show he had nothing, the look on his face as of annoyance, exhaling as he did so.  
Not believing him, the bulky man took out a phone and pointed it at the him, he moved it up and down twice slowly. The screen of his phone was looking for weapons or anything metal.  
Not understanding at first but realising he was being scanned Daisy couldn’t understand how the metal armed wasn’t making the phone go crazy, after all his arm could have been detected.  
“Do you want to check the girl too/Вы хотите, чтобы проверить девушку тоже?” Daisy’s kidnapper asked in Russian sharply and impatiently.  
Curling his lip in annoyance at his impatience, the bulky man did indeed scan Daisy, causing her to jump at first when he moved in front of her and begun to move the phone up and down.  
Stepping back he looked at Daisy’s kidnapper in the eye, his expression annoyed and almost bored. For a moment it looked as if he wasn’t going to let them in.  
“Fine. Go in/Хорошо. Входить.” Was all he said. Maybe because she didn’t know Russian but Daisy realised then she couldn’t tell when there was aggression behind the words, the use of words was firmer to her, Daisy knew she was going to have a difficult time knowing what ever was going on.  
Nodding but not thanking the man, the metal armed man gave Daisy a shove and they moved on to the next door, leaving the bulky man to continue leaning against the wall and to smoke his cigarette, watching them as they walked away.  
When they reached the next door, it wasn’t black like the wall but deep dark red and was metal. With his flesh hand Daisy’s kidnapper opened the door, and though the smell she had smelt earlier had been stronger, inside the actual room it was overpowering. Through the haze of smoke, red and orange fluorescent lighting glowed before them. Daisy could just about see inside, from inside the music was gentle ambient slow beating but polyphonic with possible of changing at any moment.  
What was once a grand old 19th century theatre, which had been converted in bar like place, where the seats for the theatre would have been was now tables and chairs, all missing matching, at the far right the bar where one of the lower theatre boxes would have been, was the bar, which looked old, its bottles of alcohol covering the whole back of the wall, different labels and shaped bottles engulfing the wall. The stage, which without any theatre back-drops or decor was a empty blank empty space that lead off to somewhere in the background where it couldn’t be seen, the stage looked odd and out of place, as if it served no purpose since it was no longer a theatre.  
Despite some of the cosmetic changes it still had the wooden carving of the theatre walls and boxes, though no longer in their gordy painted gold but painted black, so they blended in and away, and though in similar but more tacky style boudoir theme covering some areas were long red curtains, coming from the ceiling. Looking up Daisy saw that even though it must have an impressive place it didn’t have the high ceiling, only up so high and lacking the artistic architecture that bigger theatres would typically have. Those in the place were all men, sat around at the round or square table, drinking, smoking or talking amongst themselves, some looking to where the stage was, though nothing or no-one was there.  
There was no stopping to really look, Daisy’s kidnapper didn’t allow her to look, he simply walked her in towards to an empty table to the far left and sat her down on a seat. Still standing, he lowered his head and said firmly in Russian to her; “Сидите и остаться.” Not knowing what it meant she put her hands on her lap and looked down at the floor. The metal armed man then walked over to the bar and ordered a drink.  
The bar man was young moustached man, he acknowledge Daisy’s kidnapper and put a shot glass in front of him and then poured.  
“Cпасибо.” The metal armed man said before he drank it. His face didn’t flinch when finished. Placing it down he nodded again at the bar man, who poured again, all the while looking at him in wonder.  
Again the drink was had. Reaching in his coat pocket he took out money and placed it on the bar, then showed two fingers, asking for two more. Nodding his head the bar man got another glass and poured two more shots.  
Sat alone at the table, Daisy attempted to glance around her, for the moment no-one in the room was paying any attention to her or her kidnapper, though there was two dozen people in there, they were busy with their own business to bother with the two of them. However, nearest the bar that her kidnapper sat, one lone man sat, he had a bottle in front of him, seeming to drink straight out it, next to the bottle was impressive gleaming gun.  
Noticing that Daisy was looking at him, he winked at her. He was more than likely in his late thirties, his hair was cut close on the side of his head, with the top his blonde hair longer and greasy looking, from the centre of his forehead down to his chin was a thick scar, that against his reddish skin made his face look as of it split in two.  
Walking past the scared man Daisy’s kidnapper came back holding the two shot glasses, which he placed in front of them both before sitting down. Removing his coat, her kidnapper placed it on to the back of his chair, then placed his arms on the table, centring the shot glass in front of him. He looked down at Daisy with a serious express.  
Daisy didn’t know what to think. Were they there for a social outing, was she being taken for drink and non-chatting evening, if so, it was not something she would recommend. Pushing her palms together she sunk into her seat, looking at her kidnapper from her lowered head.  
Where the shot glass was near Daisy her kidnapper used his finger to push it nearer to her, then tapped the table gently, looking at her at firmly, giving a head nod to her to the drink. Looking at the drink, then at her kidnapper, then back to the drink, she shook her head gently. “напиток/Drink.” Her kidnapper hissed not moving his lips as he did so.  
Picking up the glass, he in raised it up and looked at her aggressively to do the same.  
Doing so, her hand going for and holding the drink was not shaking, but the one which she pressed down on the thigh was, which Daisy saw he looked down at before saying; “Твоё здоровье!” before drinking the shot quickly and with ease.  
Holding the drink, she watched as her kidnapper took his drink and shutting her eyes she threw the drink back, having it all on one go, when in her mouth she closed it and didn’t open her eyes. For a moment it looked as if she was going to swallow and drink the spirit but instead she flung her eyes open, turned her side and spit the contains of her drink on to the floor, then begin coughing and gasping for breath.  
Not moving or flinching, her kidnapper put his glass back on the and just looked at her.  
What the hell was that? Daisy thought, the burning rough taste of the drink still present on her tongue, she had never drank anything like it before, it was felt like a mixture of petrol and cleaning chemicals but tasted like nothing but still tasted offensive to her mouth.  
“друг/Friend. ” Said a chuckling voice walking over towards them.  
Walking over to their table was the scarred man from across the room, coming with him was his bottle and his tall framed body. With a small smirk on his face, he flexed his gaze from Daisy’s kidnapper to Daisy as he moved.  
“друг/Friend.” The metal armed man replied, his voice and tone sounding annoyed as he looked over at Daisy who was finishing her last cough, pulling up the sleeve of her shirt over her hands so that she could place it over her mouth to muffle out the sound.  
Just before he came over he grabbed a chair from table, not asking or making eye-contact with the two gentlemen at the table. Placing the chair at Daisy’s and her kidnapper’s table he put his bottle on the table and sat down. His smile now larger and his gaze now becoming more leering at Daisy, crossing his arms over his chest, showing the tattoos and burn scars that run over his exposed forearms.  
Her face now red tinted from the coughing, Daisy fidgeted in her chair, she tried to not look at her new arrival to the table, trying to keep her eyes down.  
What was going on? Daisy thought.  
Inside the sound of music changed, it was more hypothetic and tripper than it had been, and the whole room seemed to sit up. From where the scared man sat, he his back was to the stage and he, unlike the rest of the people, didn’t seem to bothered about turning around.  
The metal armed man let his gaze go to the stage, not saying anything as he did so. Daisy followed suite, though she didn’t like to because it place her eyes to near the scared man at the table.  
From the front of the stage appeared a girl, the girl was young, probably no more than 13, her hair long blonde and covering her back, she wore make-up that looked as if it was put on by a child that didn’t know how to do make-up, her huge blue eyes looked as if they had just recovered from crying but looked as if she was going to cry again. Walking further on to the stage Daisy could see she was wearing a dress that was mixture of a sexualised baby-doll dress and dress like Dorothy from The Wizard Of Oz would wear, all she was holding a doll that she held tightly to her chest.  
From the side of the stage, someone shouted at the girl in Russian, to which she jumped from fear where she stood.  
Daisy turned her head to look at her kidnapper, who had his head lowered as he looked at the girl. Sitting where she, Daisy begun to fidget again, no longer did she care about the man across from her staring at her.  
On the stage, the girl begun to sing, her voice was low and sweet, but barely audible in the room, around the room their was a small amount of huffing and people telling her to sing louder, which caused her to stop completely. From the stage, she scanned the audience in front of her, her eyes fell on Daisy and where she sat and for a second both looked at each other. Looking into the girl’s eyes Daisy felt sad and angry for the girl, Daisy wanted to run up on the stage and take her away from there, anywhere.  
Rolling back his shoulder, picking up his bottle and standing up, the scarred man who had joined the table turned around and stood up, so he faced the stage and the girl directly. Where her face had been frightened and sad before as she had looked over at Daisy, now she looked completely petrified, the sight of the man turned the girl ghost white.  
“Cлабый!/ Weak!” The scared man boomed at her from where he stood.  
Standing frightened in place, the girl looked at the scared man and her shoulder and begun to shake slightly with fear.  
Inside Daisy was angry, she wanted to do something but she couldn’t. Looking at her kidnapper his face had not changed at all, he showed no emotion.  
“Cлабый!/ Weak!” He repeated again.  
No-one in the room said anything. They just looked at the girl.  
From the side of the stage someone said someone to the girl, which caused her to run off stage and away from view. Watching as she went, Daisy tried to look at what was happening, worried for the poor girl.  
What was this place?  
“Глупый ребенок! Stupid Child.” The scarred man said as he sat back down on the table, slamming his bottle as he did so.  
Flicking his eyes back to the scared man, Daisy’s kidnapper nodded in agreement but said nothing else in response.  
Taking a large gulp of his bottle, which he then swallowed, Daisy couldn’t tell if he enjoyed it from the pained crunched look on his face afterwards, the scared man leant forward and said something that Daisy couldn’t hear (though she couldn’t understand Russian, it helped to know the way/tone they spoke, so she could at least guess), but from the sleazy expression on his face and the way he rubbed his chin looking over at Daisy afterwards, she knew it had something to do with her.  
Pushing his lips together in thought, Daisy’s kidnapper said nothing for a moment, he kept his face expressionless. With a shrug of his shoulder he replied to the man. “ Зависит, она очень новый./ Depends, she’s very new.”  
Chuckling, the scarred man shook his head at Daisy’s kidnapper. “Новый?/ New?”  
“да/Yes.” The metal armed man replied firmly.  
From the stage Daisy could not see the girl or anything else, the urge inside of Daisy to run and find her made frustrated her, she had to squeeze her fists angrily.  
Though her gaze was still half on the stage, Daisy felt the scared blonde man’s eyes looking more intensely at her, as she looked away completely from the stage, she saw the man lick his lipd and his fingers begun to rub the top of the bottle up and down.  
Inhaling a nervous breath, Daisy tried to close herself more inside her seat, she didn’t like what was happening with the scared man at the table.  
In a chuckled voice the scared man said whilst his gaze was on Daisy. “Она выглядит как мальчика!/She looks like a boy!”  
Again Daisy’s kidnapper shrugged.  
What the shit? Daisy thought, looking over at her kidnapper, realising full way that she was being spoken about.  
Again the scarred man took a drink of his bottle, this time missing and some of the drink going his chin, which he didn’t wipe away, when finished he smiled a large white tooth smile at her and chuckled.  
“Цветок/Flower.” Daisy’s kidnapper said turning his head to face her and spoking firmly.  
Though she didn’t know what he had just said, she felt that he was going to say for her to do something. Her kidnappers eyes, were lowered and serious as he looked at her. With his right hand he pointed to behind her, to where there was of the old theatre boxes stood and where there was a door, he gave and a nod and said in the same firm voice. “ Идти!/Go!”  
Looking over to the direction he was pointing, she realised this was what he told her to ‘the nod and point’, before even processing the thought of whether he wanted her over there herself or with him she felt her arm being grabbed and being pulled to her feet by the scarred man. With one of his hands holding the bottle and the other pulling Daisy up and beginning to drag her away from the table, the scared man said nothing, he simply pulled her across, passing the tables with people as they went.  
Desperately Daisy managed to pull herself to look back at her metal armed kidnapper who still sat at the table, looking straight ahead at the stage, with the same bored emotionless express on his face.  
Coming around a square table, the scarred man yanked Daisy more towards him and around the table.  
Though she wanted to shout and protest, she kept quiet, she made uncomfortable grunts noises but said nothing in English, though then and there she had no reason to trust her kidnapper, she held on to the fact that he wasn’t to let anything happen to her…was he? When at the door the scarred man opened it. From the corner of her eye, Daisy could see the girl who had been on the stage, she sat in the floor a few yards away, curled up against the wall, she had been looking at the ground but she turned to look at Daisy just then. Both made eye contact again and this time instead of Daisy looking at the girl with sadness, it was the girl who looked at Daisy with sadness.  
Flung into the room, Daisy could barely keep herself standing from the force with which he did so. Letting go of her the scarred man took another gulp of his drink. Inside the room, Daisy could see that it wasn’t just some a room, it was boudoir, with long red drapes hanging from the ceiling and a large velvet like covered bed, various mirrors placed around the room, though the room wasn’t big the mirrors made it appear so. As if to add to the feel of the room, it was dimly lite with a red lights. From one of the mirrors ahead of her between a one the long hanging red drapes, Daisy could see the scared man from behind her, he was still holding his bottle and was walking up behind her, his head was lowered like an animal ready to jump on it prey, slowly he was licking his lips.  
Spinning herself around, not wanting to have him anywhere near her, she went to move away, but instead he threw his arm around her and spun her back round, so he was behind her again, then used his free arm to pin her to his chest as he leant down on to her. He began to chuckle from behind, the vibration of which Daisy felt on her back. He took another drink of his bottle, finishing it off and then throwing it across the room somewhere. With both arms free, he wrapped them around Daisy and lowered her down, pushing her head by his chin using his arm, them leaning over head doing so.  
Daisy lost her breath as this was all happening, the fact that it had had all happened within the space of a minute hadn't quite shank in, in the space of time from sitting in the other room to where she was about to be raped didn’t feel real. But it was real and Daisy begun to struggle, she tried to squeeze herself free but found that caused him to hold her tighter and laugh more. In one quick move, he picked up from the bear hug he held her tighter and begun to walk her over to the bed.  
Desperately Daisy begun to kick, though her arms were pinned down she tried elbow him from behind, which didn’t help.  
Chuckling more he threw her on to the bed, so she landed on her front, he jumped on her from behind and managed to pin her down again.  
Loudly Daisy begun to scream, she was not going to let this happen. Kicking her legs at him, she fought despite her body being held under the man’s weight. Daisy tried to wriggle and move her body out the pinned position but found it impossible  
“тишина/Hush!” The man said in her ear as he begun to slip his hand down his side to get to her.  
With another scream about to escape, Daisy felt the weight of the scarred man being lifted off her and the sound of clicking and metal, before a loud thump came form behind her. Flipping herself over and off the bed, Daisy saw that the metal armed man, her kidnapper was in the room with them, with the scarred man laying at his feet from where he had just been thrown.  
“что ты делаешь/What are you doing?” The blonde scared man shouted as he touched his forehead which was now cut and bleeding from the impact of the throw.  
“добыча/Extraction.” Replied the metal armed man, stepping closer towards him.  
Past Daisy’s kidnapper she could see outside into the old theatre that moments ago she had just been, where moments ago there been dozens of people sat around tables, drinking and talking, but now all she could she could see was carnage. Tables and chairs were broken, over turned and all over, equally the people in the room were broken, over turned and all over the room, some lay on the ground, some over the bar or across the stage. In the space of time that she had left the room and had been taken away, the metal armed man fought two dozen man, quickly, easily and very quietly.  
Looking over at her kidnapper, she saw as he reached down and picked up the scarred man off the floor shoulder, to where he punched him in the gut and back elbowed him the shoulder blade, causing the blonde scarred man to moan in pain and try to crumble to the ground, but instead he pulled up again by the metal armed man, who smacked him across the face with he back of his metal hand and then punched him in the stomach again .  
“Now…” The metal armed man said as he shook the man that hung in front of him by the shoulder. “I want you to tell me about Project Jettison and where Caitlin Pierce is.”


	26. 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am a pain in my ass, i could write faster but I spend half times and days thinking about it rather than doing it, yes moronic i know.  
> I wished that Strucker had been used as a better baddie, he could have seriously been very badass!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Leiter.” Chief/Director/Ladder.  
> Pierce's title in Hydra is never fully given, he doesn't assume the same role as Red Skull or other Hydra leader, though he has extreme chief authority within Hydra.

**One Year Earlier**  
_Washington._

 

The next few hours Daisy said very little, she listened to everything that her Father and Sister said, though very rarely did anyone talk to her, every so often her Father or Sister would look over at her, to which she pretend she didn’t notice or would smile at them. It had only been a few hours but already her neck was beginning to ache and she started to feel as if her head was becoming heavier than it was, which was little disconcerting.  
Back inside her Father’s car, they were driving back to Washington, The Triskelion, Daisy sat in the back, whilst her Father and sister sat in front, every so often her Father looked at her from the mirror, her expression unreadable, his constant checking was if he was expecting her to do something.  
Inside Daisy was a bundled bag of nerves, she was trying her best to look composed and calm, as if the mind control had worked and had turned her into a submissive and passive person, who would anything for Hydra but she didn’t know if she could keep it up. There was only so much quiet and calm she could pretend, so far she hadn’t been alone and so far she had managed not one slip up but she knew that she would be back with Whitehall, this time with more intensity.  
Thinking to herself Daisy wondered if that was part of the mind control technique, the fear of the pain was stronger than the fear of letting go. Had her Father or sister been mind controlled? Could they be bought back. Daisy’s heart did a little flutter, maybe she could find a way to turn them away from Hydra, show them that what they were doing was wrong.  
When they reached The Triskelion building, her Father didn’t park his car like he had before, instead he stopped at the front, got out and let an agent take the car to park. Stepping out the car with her Family, Daisy took a better look at the building before her, the thought that this building held the monstrous flying weapons that was going to wipe out millions of people calculatedly and with complete ease, made Daisy want to run around screaming for help, to get people to listen.  
“…We will show that we know what is best for everyone." Daisy’s father words rang into her ears.  
In the entrance to the The Triskelion, its massive glass and metal fused paned entrance leading into the forecourt of the building, the morning sun shining in and illuminating the water feature and the Shield symbol further inside.  
Walking over toward Alexander Pierce and his family appeared Brock Rumlow and the strike team, all following him dressed in their strike uniform but toned down with the armoured weapons or the bullet proof vests absent. As he grew closer, Rumlow saw that Daisy walked to the right of her Father, her head high and her look firm and determined, a smile formed on his face, pleased that Daisy was now part of the fold, having for the longest time wished she had been, considering it unusual of Piece to keep his youngest daughter away from Hydra…but that was never something which he would have said to Pierce.  
“Report.” Alexander Pierce said before he had reached Rumlow and the Strike team.  
“Sir,” Rumlow nodded respectfully. “The Lemurian Star has left Baltimore and headed to internal waters.”  
Walking together, the Strike team now walking behind Daisy and Caitlin heading towards the elevator.  
“And Sitwell?” Pierce asked.  
“A dispatch as been sent to pick him and take him directly there within the next 48hrs.” Rumlow replied.  
Caitlin Pierce, with her hands behind her back, in a military stance and walk she was known for amongst her collages. “Has there been any interference from The Security Council?”  
Shaking his head, Rumlow replied turning to face Caitlin. “No Ma’am, though I assume they will want to be update ASAP.”  
Trying to maintain her calm and patience expression Daisy tried to think if anything that was being said might help her. Rumlow sneaked Daisy a look and smirked at her, to which she let the corner of her lip curl to smile, thinking that she had to somehow maintain who she was before, so not to cause too much thought from anyone to her change. Rumlow was no longer the Rumlow she had known for years, this was a different Rumlow…but maybe he was like her father and sister, he could be bought back from working with Hydra, after all wasn’t everyone?  
Reaching the elevator the Pierce family, Rumlow, Strike member Rollins and another member that Daisy hadn’t seen before stepped inside, the door already open and waiting for them. Taking positions around Pierce in the middle, everyone was quiet and still as the descendent upwards begun. Stood to the left side of her father, Daisy looked out to the world as on the journey up, trying to ignore the nerves in her stomach, she hadn’t been told why they had returned back to The Triskelion but from the way that everyone around her, it was not a casual visit for coffee and snacks.  
Standing near each other Caitlin Pierce and Brock Rumlow flicked each other a look, Rumlow holding a smirk as he looked slyly at Caitlin, to which Caitlin gave him a cool narrowed eyed look back at him. Daisy noticed the two, she realised this was the first time in a long time she had seen them together, from the look of it she knew something had gone on between the two of them since then.  
The Triskelion had as many floors as New York skyscraper, as they traveled up Daisy begun to feel a pitter of dread.  
Somewhere to near the top the elevator stopped and they existed, all in a organised manner, Rumlow and the Strike members following.  
Pierce walked to a large red double door way, to which he leant his head forward to wall to allow a retina scan to identify himself, to which the doors responded by opening straight away. Inside there was nothing there, just empty room, unlit until they begun to all enter in. Entering to the centre of the room, Pierce stopped and looked over at his eldest daughter, which she gave a gentle nod. Surrounding him a semi circle, all watched Pierce.  
“Begin communication 167893.” Pierce said, to which ahead of an projection of The Hydra symbol was presented brightly in red.  
Swallowing the lump in her throat made herself more solid on the ground, starting to feel as if she going to run but stopping herself.  
For a moment there was nothing, but then a figure of man was projected in front of them, the Hydra symbol behind him. Taller than Pierce, close shaven face and hair, a monocle seeming attached to his face, a strong roman nose and a perfectible pressed military khaki uniform button tight to his neck. Head held hair, hand place behind his back he gave a smile to Alexander Pierce.  
“Leiter.” The man said in a strong German accent.  
“Strucker.” Pierce replied.  
“How does the Plans go?” The man asked, his projection giving the impression that he was stood in the room.  
Smiling Pierce pushed his shoulder back. “Everything is going to plan, 6 days time Project Insight will be fully operational.”  
6 Days. Daisy thought herself panicky.  
“Good.” The man Strucker replied with a nod of his head. “Too long Hydra have been in the shadows.”  
From beside her Father Caitlin said with an gleeful tone. “Yes, far too long.”  
Looking over to Caitlin, the man Strucker gave a smile at Caitlin Pierce.  
“My daughter Caitlin will be coming to Sokovia to see the progress of your work in 7 days.” Pierce told Strucker.  
“Excellent.” Strucker replied. “Ms Pierce’s arrival here will be most appreciated, I look forward to be able to share many things with her.”  
Caitlin smiled at Strucker in a way that Daisy had never seen her sister smile before, she could almost swear there was slight swoon by gentle shift in her body. From behind in the shadows Brock Rumlow gave sterner expression and shuffled on his heels.  
Reaching his hand across Daisy’s shoulder, Alexander Pierce gently moved Daisy closer to him. “This,” Pierce started. “Is my daughter Daisy, the one which i’ve told you about.”  
As if all interest in Caitlin had dissolved, Strucker’s eyes opened wider and he gave a smile that showed all his teeth, he looked Daisy up and down. “Aww, finally the prodigal daughter arrives on the eve on glory. “  
Feeling extremely vulnerable Daisy kept her head high and tried to keep her gaze steady as she looked at Strucker, feeling the way he examined her, similar to how Whitehall had done the first time she had met him.  
“Tell me,” Strucker started still at Daisy. “Has she shown any signs yet?”  
Still holding on her shoulder and looking at her proudly Pierce smiled. “Not yet but once we start the process she will.”  
Nodding and smiling Strucker looked back at Pierce. “Will Ms Pierce bring her to Sokovia?”  
“No.” Pierce said firmly. Looked back to Strucker. “After Hydra has complete control I will personally take her to where we know the connection is and where Armin Zola’s work will be finished.”  
“Very well.” Striker replied with a nod.  
Daisy tried her best to look composed but she felt her mind running with a thousand thoughts, what were they talking about?  
Pierce and Strucker looked at each other for a moment, not quite a stand off but both seeming to measure one another, though both were very much a part of Hydra there was a power play between the two, where Pierce was obviously the one in the forefront of control when it came to Hydra, Strucker was something else, though holding power, he did not hold as much as Pierce. Strucker didn’t seem to consider Pierce fully the Leader of Hydra, though he said nothing, both knew the scales which they were measuring. Looking at the two of them, both were two fought for the same ideals, the ideals of Hydra but there was more, as soon as Hydra held control, there was to be a race, both man to take charge and be the one to hold the strongest card in the deck.  
Holding her breath Daisy held her internal frown. What was she to Hydra? Why was she seemingly so important?


	27. 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm still very much a pain in the ass

**Moscow - Russia.**  
_4,666.39 miles From New York_

 

The face of the scarred man was filled with fear and confusion, the metal armed man held the top of blonde man's hair, looking down at him towering above. Taking his face as an answer he punched again in the face, making the scarred man go momentarily crossed eyed.  
Watching Daisy got to her feet, doing her best to steady herself, ignoring the shaking feeling that run throughout her body.  
“Speak!” The metal armed man hissed in English, shaking the scarred blonde man.  
Though the scared man was himself large, he looked dwarfed and small compared to Daisy’s kidnapper.  
From the doorway out to the theatre bar, something caught Daisy’s eye, something blonde poke its head around the doorframe, looking in briefly before moving back and then doing it more slowly a second later.  
Despite herself Daisy begun to move towards the doorway, causing her kidnapper to take his eyes off the scarred man as he shook his head violently again, her kidnapper’s face twisted angrily at her, ready to shout something at her, when he too saw the small blonde girl in the doorway. Halfway to the door she stopped, with her back to her kidnapper she waited for the child to poke her head around the corner. Which she did very slowly.  
“Hey,” Daisy said with small at the girl, who saw her and hid herself. “Its okay.” Though Daisy wasn’t sure if that helped she had to try, despite the events that happening in that room, she didn’t want that child outside, amongst all the mess and carnage.  
With her eyes fixed on the doorway she waited for the little girl to look around again, which she did, this time holding the doorframe as she peeked so that half her blonde head came through. Closer up Daisy could see that she was much younger than she though, not 13 but maybe only 9. Her stomach turned at the thought that the little child had been in place that. Again Daisy offered her a smile, the child probably didn’t know English but she knew that a smile gentle enough to install a level of trust to child that Daisy meant no harm.  
“Не бойтесь малышка/Don't be afraid little one.” Came a calm gentle voice behind Daisy.  
Turning her head around Daisy realised it was her kidnapper, using a gentle voice she had never heard him use before. Still holding onto the scarred faced blonde man, he too offered the blonde girl a weak small.  
“Не бойтесь малышка/Don't be afraid little one.” He repeated again.  
Not exactly sure what he saying but knowing that her kidnapper was trying to get the child to come over, Daisy offered her hand out to the girl.  
For a moment the child didn’t move, she stayed where she was, her big blue eyes glaring at the two of them. Then, slowly she moved in from the doorway and walked towards Daisy. Her footsteps were gentle but fast as she walked to Daisy, who took Daisy’s offered hand and grabbed it for dear life.  
Giving her a smile, she found herself bending down on her knees and came to eye-level with the child. Looking her over, she checked that she wasn’t injured, worried for the briefest of moments she may have been caught up with whatever had happened in the other room. Holding her small hand, Daisy noticed the girl’s doll, seeing it was a old and very loved doll, its hair blonde like the little girls but matted and dirty. There was no reason then for the little girl to trust Daisy but as the two were at eye-level the little wrapped her arms around Daisy’s shoulder in a hug, a very happy and sweet hug.  
Taken back by the hug, Daisy wrap her arm around the girl, trying not to think of the horror the poor child and been through here.  
In a tiny little voice the girl said into Daisy ear. “благодарность.” And though Daisy didn’t know what she meant or said, the way she said told Daisy she was grateful and happy.  
From behind them came a yelp from the scared blonde man, as Daisy’s kidnapper slapped him.  
“Take her to the other room.” Came the firm strong voice of her kidnapper.  
Not turning back, Daisy picked up the child, smiling at her and stroking her hair, walked in the other. Around them, the dozens of man still lay motionless on around the room. Near the doorway, Daisy sat herself and the little girl down, placing her on her lap. The child, kept her eyes on Daisy, who kept smiling at her. When on the ground, the little girl showed Daisy her doll, saying a name as did. Looking at the doll, Daisy tried her best to act as natural and as calm as she could, trying not to jump when she heard another yelp and thump from the other room, which the little girl in her lap was managing to ignore.  
“Tell me.” The metal armed man said in Russian, throwing the scarred man to the floor, which was then trying his best to crawl away.  
Grunting as he moved, the scared man said nothing.  
Losing his patience, Daisy kidnapper grabbed the scarred man by the top of his trousers off the ground with his metal arm, causing the scared man to shrieked this time.  
From outside Daisy was plaiting the little girl’s hair (just about the most normal thing she could think to do in a situation like that, not being able to communicate with the little girl) doing her best to ignore the sound.  
“Okay, okay!” The scared man yelled Russian. “Project Jettison, what do you want to know!”  
Still holding him up the metal armed man hissed. “Who was the officer in charge of Eastern department!”  
“What?” The scarred man yelled franticly. The metal armed shook his where he held on his trousers. “There was no offer! There was only ever one operative!”  
“Who!?” Daisy kidnapper said.  
Hissing through his teeth and cursing in Russian, the scared man didn’t reply.  
“Who!?” The metal armed man repeated.  
“I don’t know!” The scarred man yelled, “I wasn’t in charge of people, I wasn’t the logistic planner, she told me what to do and I did it!”  
Looking down at him, there was for the briefest moment a look as of he was going to give up and be done with the man. Instead though, he pulled him further up by the waist of his trousers so that they pulled very tightly around the scarred man so much he hissed and swore in Russian. “I don’t believe you. Tell me the name of the Eastern department commanding officer NOW!”  
Saliva begun to fell out of the side of his month and he was closing his eyes from the pain. Then out of nowhere, he begun to laugh, a throaty laugh that turn into a belly laugh and echoed in the room. Glaring at him the metal armed man did nothing. Through the laughter the scarred man said. “Hydra would never trust me, I’m the scum who gives the man their drugs, their woman and whatever the want to play with to pass the time…” Then an even louder laugh came out of the man with bubbled salvia from his mouth. “All the time you spent here, watching me have been for nothing…The Great Winter Soldier…just another stupid man!”  
Looking directly at him he raised an eyebrow and smirked at him.  
This action caused the scarred man to stop laughing, and tilt his head to look at him, having to twist his body, causing his clothes to cut and dig into him more. “You are crazy.”  
“No…” No the metal armed man replied. “I’m not crazy but I have what I want from you.”  
“Huh?” The scarred man frowned.  
Pulling his body higher up and closer towards him, the metal armed man smiled. “You’ve already told me where Caitlin Pierce is Bogdan.”  
“What?!” The scarred screeched.  
“Yes, you just said it.” The metal armed man said with a calm tone now.  
“You are crazy!” The scarred man Bogdan screamed, trying to move.  
Shaking him still having his face next to his, the metal armed man smiled. “Yes and when i see her in Kielce I’ll tell her you were to thank for the visit.”  
Mouth open, his chin now soaked with bubbled fresh saliva, his face now red and eyes bloodshot, the scarred man Bogdan gave another belly laugh at the metal armed man. “Kielce, she’s in Bratislava you fool!”  
Then a look of absolute horror crossed his face as both he and the metal armed looked at each other eye to eye with his upside day.  
“Bingo.” The metal armed man said, before throwing the scarred man across the room with one quick swing of his arm.  
With that the metal armed man begun to walk towards the door away from the scarred man Bogdan, who was now slowly trying to get up on his knees, being careful as he did so, as his clothes had burned into his skin deeply and still smarted.  
“Wait!” The scarred man yelled, trying to stand. “Your not going to kill me?”  
Stopping in his steps, to where he stood just near the doorframe, the metal armed man bought his metal hand up his chest and begun to move his metal fingers as if he was using them to twist a penny on them, the sound of the metal working on metal from his arm was all he gave for a moment, then a small smile came on his face, not turning to face the scarred man he replied. “No…because Hydra will kill you anyway for me, I don’t need your blood.” Still not turning around the tone of his voice changed to almost humorous as he said. “Tell them I’ll see them soon.”  
Walking out in the open theatre room, he turned his head to his right to see Daisy with the little girl sat down on her lap, both looked at him at the same time, Daisy gave him a quick grimace and the little girl looked at him with curiosity for moment before she stood up from where she sat on Daisy lap and walked in front of him. Bending down on one knee he came to eye level of the little girl, his face expression was softer and gentler than it had been before he come outside. Next to him she held out her very loved doll and said in Russian to him. “Take Tatiana, she’s a very good doll.”  
Gently he took the doll from the little girl and smiled. Looking at the doll he said in Russian. “Hello, Tatiana.” Looking up at the little girl he smiled at her. “Whats your name little one?”  
“Dominika.” She replied with a tiny little courtesy.  
Watching the two of them Daisy tried her best to look as cool and as calm as her kidnapper, trying her best to hide the worry she felt that her kidnapper would harm the little girl, at that moment she wasn’t sure what was going to happen to the little girl or herself, she just knew she didn’t want the little girl to be anymore frightened then she had been/was.  
Looking back the doll, the metal armed man said in Russian. “Dominika, Tatiana is good doll but she needs a little girl to look after her, not a man, keep her and love her, okay?”  
Passing the doll back, Dominika nodded, taking the doll back into her arms and hugging her tightly.  
“Can you ask her where her family is?” Daisy said from behind the girl, slowly getting up on her knees also next to the girl, so they were all at her level.  
Nodding at Daisy but not looking over at her the metal armed man asked in gentle voice. “Dominika, where is your family?”  
Holding onto her doll tighter and looking at the metal armed man with her huge blue eyes she replied in a small frightened voice. “I don’t know. I was taken from my school and bought her to sing…there bad people here.”  
Taking in a breath angrily but holding his composure the metal armed man asked in Russian. “Did they hurt you Dominika.”  
Daisy didn’t know what was being said but she could tell that her kidnapper was asking questions at the child that were intense for her, so she reached over and gently stroked the little girl’s hair, smiling at her, Dominika looked at Daisy and gave her smile back, then looked back the metal armed man. “No…i was shouted at a lot and locked in a cup broad but…they had bad hearts.”  
Reaching out with his flesh hand Daisy kidnapper put his hand on Dominika’s shoulder smiled at her and said in a kind voice in Russian. “Its okay little one, your going to be home soon, I promise.”  
Leaning in closer to Daisy kidnapper Dominika whispered. “Are you **Ded Moroz**?”  
Giving a small laugh Daisy kidnapper smiled and relied in Russian. “No, my name is James.” Looking at Daisy he said with a nod of his head. “And this is Daisy.”  
Looking at them both little Dominika smiled and repeated their names with her Russian accent, mispronouncing Daisy’s name slightly.  
Standing up, Daisy’s kidnapper looked around the room at the mess he made previously, the unconscious bodies of the man still laid all over, some begin to stir slightly. Turning to look at Daisy, he face again was stern and aggressive. “Take her out to the entrance way and ‘wait’ for me.”  
For a moment Daisy stayed where she was, not standing from her knelt position, simply looking at him. “You trust me not to run?”  
Looking down at Dominika and smiling at her, then back at Daisy with the same smile but a small twist in it he replied. “No, but you don’t know Moscow and you won’t risk her life.”  
With that he walked around and went to where the bar was, jumping over the top of the bar counter to behind the bar.  
Getting up to her feet Daisy took Dominika’s hand and begun to walk them to the exist, hoping that the security man from before wasn’t there. As soon as she opened the door she found the bulky greyed haired man laying on the door on his back, his face and nose bloody and smashed, looking at the outside the door she could an indent of the bulky man’s face, blood still there from the impact. Picking Dominika up from with her hands placed under her armpits, she place her over the unconscious beast of a man, stepping over him as she did so. Walking further on down the dark corridor they went past the place where she had first met the bulky security man, where she saw his phone on the floor, on it was security footage of the inside of theatre bar, she saw briefly the image of the metal armed man moving around inside.  
In front of the door, she pushed the giant door handle, opening the door into the cold snowy Russian night, letting a small flurry of snow come in. When outside Daisy took off her coat and place it on Dominika, to whom it drowned, from the rush of emotions and adrenaline the cold didn’t bother Daisy as much as it would. Crouching down she held Dominika in her arms, both looking at the doll. Gently Dominika begun to hum a sweet and gently tune, that slowly bought a tear to Daisy’s eye.  
Inside the bar Daisy kidnapper was going about trashing the place, destroying as much as he could, making as much as he could, using chairs and whatever he could find, throwing bottles of spirits all over the seating areas. After a minute or so, he pressed the fire alarm on the wall, causing the place to echo the shrill of the alarm, all the unconscious man on the ground begun to wake up. Jumping up on to the stage, Daisy kidnapper looked down at them all, his long military coat covered in blood, glass and alcohol, his whole frame illuminated in the dim light of the bar, causing shadows of his frame all around on the stage. Walking up the edge of the stage, he lowered his head looking angrily at them all, his face aggressive, eyes narrowed, lips tight in a thin line.  
All the man in the room now awake looked at him in absolute fear, the few men still trying to get up were being help by other man in the room. Coming out from the red boudoir was the scarred man Bogdan, walking painfully slowly and holding the middle of his trousers, wincing as he did so, he saw the metal armed man on the stage he stopped and pointed at him then swore loudly in Russian to everyone in the room, when no-one said anything but begun to move out, he yelled again at them. Turning his head to the scarred man Bogdan, the metal armed man on the stage smiled at him. From his side he produced a box of matches and a single match, which he begun to strike, still with his eyes fixed on the scarred man.  
All realising what was happening, the man in the bar begun to pile out to the door.  
With the match alight in his metal hand, the man name James kept in his eyes focused on Bogdan as he dropped the match, letting it take on new life as the alcohol that he had thrown around the bar caused the bar to ignite in a fury of flames. Still standing there on the stage for a moment, he watched as his work came to life, as everything before him went up. Turning away, he begun to jump off the stage towards the exist, to where the other men made for their lives out, each of climbing over the other. Moving slowly, not at all rushing none of the man seemed to notice that the fire was only alive in the centre of the theatre and the bar, not towards the exist but slowly progressing, which was exactly as the metal armed man had intended. In the hurry to escape the fire, the men paid no attention to the lone man who had entered in their sleazy domain, beaten them to a pulp single handedly and then burnt their establishment, to them they were too busy trying to escape.  
In front of him in the corridor to the existing the theatre bar, two men was dragging the bulky greyed man by his arms out the door, who was just rentering consciousness when he saw the metal armed man in from of him, he tried to say something but he lost consciousness again.  
When outside in the snow, the footsteps of the man of the theatre bar run up the alleyway into the Moscow night, where most likely there would report back to their superior and whomever they answered to about what happened. Sitting against the wall, now on the other side, hidden in the shadows was Daisy and Dominika, he could see the child was now wearing Daisy coat, covering her completely down to the floor.  
Walking over to them, Daisy simply saw a figure coming towards them, she moved in front of Dominika and held up a brick in defence.  
Standing in front of them, looking down, the metal armed man James said nothing. Both Daisy and he looked at each other for a moment, Dominika peeked over Daisy’s shoulder at them from behind. Quickly Daisy kidnapper begun to unbutton his coat, then take it off and place it over Daisy’s shoulder, so he only wore a long sleeve dark blue jersey top beneath and his thick leather gloves.  
Putting the brick down she stood and looked at the doorway behind him as more men piled out, none looking their way or caring about them, making her feel as if they were invisible as they did so.  
“Come.” He said, in a slightly stern voice, putting his metal hand on Daisy shoulder again to direct her out of the alleyway. From behind Daisy little Dominika walked over to the side of the metal armed man James and took his flesh hand.  
There was small shock of shake that went through him when Dominika did this, he looked down at her tiny hands in his and swallowed, his face was almost like he seen a ghost. Noticing this, Daisy hoped to any and all God’s his behaviour would remain steady as he held her had. Giving Dominika a smile, he manoeuvred Daisy in front of him with his hand, then, Dominik’s little hand still in his, they walked out of the alleyway, the men from the theatre bar still flowing out and ignoring them.  
When they had left the alleyway in the Moscow night, the scarred man Bogdan came running out the doorway of the bar, smoke following him, coughing as he did so. On his knees, breathing heavily, he reached painfully into his trouser pocket and dialled a number he knew off by heart.  
“Get me The Hydra.” Bogdan said desperately in English down his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ded Moroz; Slavic version of Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas originates from the image of another hero – the ancient Morozko. In Russian folklore Morozko is a powerful hero and smith who chains water with his “iron” frosts. Morozko was not hostile to people - he helped them and presented them with awesome presents.In fairy tales Morozko is at times kind and at times evil. To be precise, he is kind towards the hard working and the good-hearted, but extremely severe with the mean and the lazy. And it is not about justice only. It is rather about two personalities living in one magical person. The place that Dominika was taken from still tells stories of Ded Moroz. 
> 
> The song that I imagined Dominikia humming "О, молитва", which is About Prayer.


	28. 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, I am a ass pain.

Promac Village, Washington  
649.005 miles From New York  
Above their heads hung a large gordie chandler, with at least 7 layers of glass shards cuts to perfection, all reflecting and in the light that illuminated the from its centre, shooting out gentle thin rainbows over the room but not the dinning table they sat at, which was laid out before the party of three. There dinning room was shut away from the rest of the restaurant, vases of impressive red flowers of all diligent varieties around the circular room.  
Alexander Pierce sat at the head of the table, his daughters to his left and right. Suit jacket off, napkin placed covering his tie, he sat eating and enjoying their lavish meal. On his left sat Caitlin Pierce, eating slowly and to his right sat Daisy doing the same, both their faces were unreadable and none spoke.  
Finish a mouthful of his food Alexander Pierce gave a chuckle. “You know, this is going to the last time we will have a meal like this.”  
Tilting her head to the side Caitlin frowned and asked. “Why Father?”  
Smiling and putting his palms together and his elbows on the table, Pierce replied. “Well, soon there’ll be no more hiding, everything will change.”  
Daisy took a sip of water and did everything she could to stop her hand from shaking as she did so.  
“How shall we celebrate Father?” Caitlin said leaning back in her chair grinning at her Father.  
With a gentle smug shrug he replied. “I was thinking we’d go to the Whitehouse, have our first celebratory meal their…making sure we’ve removed the presidents families bodies first.”  
Caitlin gave a chuckle as she drank some of the wine in front of her.  
Turning his head to his right to look at Daisy he smiled at her. “What’d you think of that flower?”  
Nodding and giving a weak smile she replied. “Sounds wonderful Father.”  
From the side of the room the door open and Brock Rumlow walked in, still in strike uniform and was still armed he simply stepped in the room and waited for Alexander Pierce to address him before he said anything.  
Rolling his eyes in annoyance Pierce put his hands back on the table, taking his glass he drank some of his wine and asked. “What is it Rumlow?”  
“Sir,” Rumlow started. “There’s been some activity in New York concerning Stark and Banner.”  
Pushing his lips together and putting his glass down with annoyance he asked with sharp tone. “What is it?”  
“Stark has been nosing into his Father archives, he hasn’t found anything but he’s close to. Both he and Banner-“ Rumlow started.  
“Don’t-bother-me-with-this!” Pierce shot at Rumlow. “In less than 6 days they will not be a worry.”  
Next to him Caitlin Pierce gave a sign of annoyance. “Leave Rumlow.”  
Saying no more, Rumlow turned on his heels and left the room. When outside he walked straight through the restaurant outside to where Rollins stood. Both men looked at each other, saying nothing. Taking an angry breath, Rumlow walked over to one the cars that sat outside in the street and punched his hand through the window, causing the alarm to go off. Within minutes the owner of the car came storming out, he found Rumlow standing there with a bloody fist he was glaring at. With a yell and a bundle of swear words to say at him, Rollins came up behind the man and throw him in the back of The Strike team van with one quick easy throw. Clutching his bloody hand into a fist, Rumlow jumped in the van also, shutting the door behind him, to where he begun to beat the poor man into a bloody mess. Rollins, still outside the van, reached into the car, pulled at the electrics of the car and caused the alarm to stop dead. No-one around them battered an eye, everyone inside the restaurant was too busy with their meal, even the restaurant car valet did nothing, he simply nodded at Rollins and stood waiting at the front.  
Back inside the restaurant Daisy did her best to remain composed as she asked her Father. “Father…is there anything I can to do help?”  
Leaning back in his chair, Alexander Pierce gave his youngest daughter a happy smile. “Flower, you don’t need to do anything, your job will come into play soon enough.”  
Sitting up straighter Daisy asked. “What is my job Father?”  
Both Alexander Pierce and Caitlin Pierce looked at each other and exchanged smiles. “Well,” Pierce said turning back to his youngest daughter. “you are going to give Hydra back its rightful leader, you play the biggest part in our next move.”  
“But…how?” Daisy asked, trying to keep her voice even and composed, fighting back the urge to be an aggressive as she had been.  
Leaning forward Caitlin Pierce smiled at her sister. “Daisy…you are going to give us back Red Skull. Our rightful and eternal leader…you are the key my dear little sister.”  
In her chair Daisy thought she could feel her heart and breath stop.


	29. 29

**Moscow - Russia.**  
_4,666.35 miles From New York_

Walking out of the alleyway the three of them didn’t stand out as much as Daisy had thought they would, along the now quite street that they made there way along there was little to no-one around, and those that were were too busy walking to notice. Catching a glimpse of her kidnapper, she wondered if he was cold, he gave no sign, his skin was already pale and there was no redness on his cheeks or nose from the exposure.  
Dominika tried to keep the pace of James, but her short legs made it difficult, every so often she would manage to fell behind in pace jumping a step ahead so she was in line with him, Daisy on the other head was head of him, so her footsteps were constant and she had to do everything to could to not slow down.  
Passing along streets, some either closed down or just closed shops, walking on the urban streets, away from the centre, an intermixture of old and new Russian buildings, that were in much better condition then the ones that Daisy had seen where she had been with her kidnapper earlier, as these houses looked as if people actually lived there. Turning different corners Daisy was losing what little bearings she had, at one point wondering if they were going in a circle. Dominique seemed content as she walked, but she begun to slow down as the snow on her feet ache. She stopped for a moment, causing James to look down at her, taking Daisy’s shoulder as he stop so to stop her moving.  
Asking in Russian Dominika asked. “Where are we going?”  
Smiling at her he crouched down to her level. “To someone who is going to get you home.”  
Dominika smiled and nodded pleased with the answer, though Daisy didn’t have a clue what they’d just said. Looking at her kidnapper she said quietly to him. “Is she okay?”  
Standing back up James responded with a nod and said simply. “She’s fine.” Then begun moving again.  
The streets begun to change, the motorway with it slow night time traffic begun to become distant and the streets were less well lit and the houses were more sparse, intend higher leveled flats appeared. James begun to direct them down to a street that was more green than the ones they had been down, with more impressive trees covered in snow leaning over above them, it looked as no-one lived there or that everyone lived very quiets lives, Daisy had to remind herself the hour was late, they had left the apartment late in the evening, so it was quiet late already.  
Ahead of her Daisy saw a very simple old church, which, in comparison to what churches she had seen in Moscow briefly, looked very poor, on the roof there were three small typical round onion domes, less colourful, in either black or dark blue, and less ornate then ones she had seen, stood out as they came nearer. Outside the churches it looked as if it had seen better days, though there was no graffiti, the walls were stained with dirt and grim, the constant falling snow outside made the church look as if it had been abandon, but if it wasn’t for one small amount of light illuminating from of the broken battered windows Daisy would of thought the church was indeed abandon.  
Daisy found herself stopping outside the church, causing her kidnapper and Dominika to look at her. Swallowing Daisy looked up at the cross on stop the dome, it was only thing from the outside of the church that looked pristine and cared for, which she found strange, how could something so high up and with so much exposure not be as weather worn as the rest of the church. Then all three walks up to the church door, which itself was as battered and as old as the church, the metal handle and braces were rusted and stained.  
Stepping in front of Daisy and Dominika, gently letting go of Dominika’s hand, James reached for the handle of the old door and turned to open it, causing an achy painful creaking noise escape out. Reaching over Daisy took Dominika’s hand, wanting to make sure that she comforted if what was behind the door was threatening and to make sure that if anything happened she could protect the small girl from it.  
Though Daisy had spent times in churches when she had worked internationally, she could never quiet feel at ease in them, she had been to church with Renata many times as a child, even enjoying it, but as an adult she had never found comfort in religion, or churches, she had seen too much to think and feel there was all powerful being that decided your fate on the basis on the qualities of your actions and inactions. Renata, years ago, had given up trying to get Daisy to find faith, instead just tried to make sure Daisy was decent person, which, Daisy hoped that she had been. In her chest then she felt a shake of sadness thinking about Renata, remembering she was one of the reasons that Renata was dead.  
When the door was open Daisy had thought she could see nothing but the wreck and ruin of the church, with nothing inside resembling a church at all, instead she saw a beautiful clean and pristine ancient church. Though there was no massive glass stained windows but instead a impressive beautiful nave with, though faded, amazing painted image of saints and religious figures, with the crucification sat in the middle, right in the centre of the wonderful round open church.  
Walking in through the doorway James looked over at Daisy to tell her to follow him, which she did, still holding Dominika’s hand, when inside James closed the door as loudly as he opened it, which inside caused an enormous echo inside the church, which Dominika made a pained face at as it hurt her ears. Inside the air was with scented with lavender and a smell Daisy couldn’t place but smelt familiar to her. Walking through the entrance she could saw the pews were old but not in the worst condition, because the church was small there was only a few line of seats, which Daisy had a feeling that there was never a great number of people there at any one time. Looking down at the floor she could see that the floor was polished and clean, which as they walked in was becoming wet and dirty from there snow covered feet.  
Ahead of them Daisy kidnapper walked straight towards the altar, keep his eyes level, not looking up.  
Then in front of the altar James stopped and stood there, causing both Daisy and Dominika to stop also, though they did so which a jolt. Watching him from behind Daisy almost expected him to kneel down and pray.  
Opening her mouth to speak, though not knowing what to say, she heard very gently footsteps to her right, which she turned her head towards to find a Priest. He walked towards them, a gentle smile on his lined aged face, his hair hidden underneath a brimless cap and his beard long and peppered white down his chin, he wore a cross around him neck and look floor length black coat that with long heavy open sleeves down his sides. As he came closer Daisy noticed that from his left eye was the thick but faint line of a scar that went around to his left ear.  
Turning from the altar Daisy’s kidnapper faced the priest as he came towards them from left, a very faint smiled appeared on his lips and he nodded at the priest.  
In Russian the priest smiled at James. “I thought I was to see you soon.”  
“I’m sorry to come so late.” James replied in Russian.  
Turning his attention to Daisy and Dominika he raised his eye and gave a nod at them, greeting them both in Russian, which Dominika responded with a Hello and curtsey, and Daisy simply nodded at a lose to know what to say.  
“You know you can come any day or night my son.” The Priest replied back in Russian, looking back at James. “But this isn’t any ordinary visit is it?”  
“No…” James said back in Russian. He looked at Daisy and Dominika who stood a metre or so away from them. “I need your help Father.”  
Standing where she was Daisy shuffled in her shoes slightly, she didn’t enjoy the feeling of being looked at and been talked about by her kidnapper, last time that had had she been used as bait and nearly raped by a stranger.  
The Priest too looked to Daisy and Dominika, the sight of the petite dark haired young woman in an overly large military winter coat, drowning her frame, her face pale and eyes watchful and wide and the angelic blonde little girl in a coat that just as oversized on her as Daisy’s was, holding a doll in one hand and holding the hand of the young woman next to her, together they did look as if they need help and assistant but neither for the same reason. Looking back at James, the priest gave a smile, then he walked over to the two of them, palms turned off as a gesture of peace and goodwill.  
“Welcome,” He said in Russian, “I am Father Pavel and this my church.”  
Daisy kidnapper walked behind Father Pavel as he came over to Daisy and Dominika. Looking at him Dominika gave a smile and showed her teeth and straightening herself in Daisy’s coat. “I”m Dominika Titov.”  
The priest nodded and Dominika reached out and touched her cheek and said in Russian. “Welcome Dominika.”  
Turning his attention Daisy he could see the confusion her face, she did’t know what to say to him.  
“Child,” Father Pavel said in a calm voice. “What is your-“  
“Her name is Isolda.” James said quickly in Russian from behind.  
Both Daisy and the Father Pavel looked at each other straight in the eye, Daisy bit her lip, wanting to say something but not sure if she could, if the Priest didn’t understand her there was no point. Placing his palms back together for moment thinking, then he smiled at her put a friendly hand on her shoulder and spoke in English to her in a only slightly accent voice. “You do not look like an Isolda my child.”  
Surprised that he could speak English to let out a breath and gave a weak smile and replied. “My name is Daisy, Father.”  
“Daisy.” Father Pavel repeated.  
Next to them, like a parrot Dominika repeated the same, still mispronouncing her name. All three shared a chuckle together as Dominika little attempt to say her name. But from behind Father Pavel Daisy’s kidnapper cleared his throat. “Father?”  
Taking his hand off Daisy’s shoulder he turned around to James, his expression still cheery and composed, but Daisy could tell that with James his temperament changed. “Yes, yes…what can I do?” Father Pavel asked in English, seeming to decide to that he didn’t wish to speak only in Russia and exclude Daisy.  
Pushing his lips together, it was easy to see that James was unsure how to answer at first, for the fact he didn’t want to be disrespectful to Father Pavel to reply in Russian but also what to say to the priest, as he knew there would questions that he could of course be asked.  
“The child,” James started in English. “She needs to be taken back to her family…she was taken by men…a man…and her family are missing her.”  
Standing now between Daisy with Dominika on one side and James on the other, Father Pavel looked at them both questioning. “The men or man, why did they take the child?”  
Looking down her James, inhaled, letting a small amount of anger creep into his tone. “They were using her for entertainment, to sing…but I know more was going to happen to her eventually Father…bad things.”  
The elderly priest eyes widen as he looked at James gasping as he said. “You went to Matryoshka?”  
Saying nothing in response James at first just looked down at Dominika, who not understanding anything was simply looking all around the church as he held on to Daisy hand. In a gentle voice and exhausted voice James said. “I had to…who knows what could have happened to her.”  
Shaking his head slightly Father Pavel walked over to altar and looked up, his face was sad and tired as he did. Speaking in English with his back to them. “Rescuing the child was the right thing James…but you started it now…haven’t you?”  
Looking in the middle distance James simply responded with. “Yes Father.”  
Turning away from them, Father Pavel pushed his palms together in pray and squeezed his eyes closed for a moment, his face pained and tired. Then, as if by a flip of a switch he turned around to face them, his expression completely different, almost cheery and back to how he had looked when they had first walked into the church and nothing was said or known. “There is nothing that can be done tonight, its late and we all need to rest.” Father Pavel said in English moving towards them. “Let us get some-“  
“No.” James said firmly.  
Stopping in his steps, Father Pavel looked at James, his cheer expression draining away. “There is nothing we can-“  
“Please can you take Dominika.” James said looking pleading at the elderly Priest. “This is the safest place for her here.”  
Daisy felt Dominika’s hand tighten around her’s, the little girl knew they were talking about her.  
Looking sadly at James, Father Pavel asked in English. “Your going to leave this time and not come back aren’t you.”  
Returning his gaze, James nodded.  
“And Daisy.” Father Pavel asked.  
James looked over at Daisy, his expression unreadable. “She’s is coming with me.”  
“No.” Daisy said firmly, wanting to step forwards but not wanting to move away from Dominika. “Let me go…I don’t want to be a part of whatever you have planned.”  
Breathing out James replied firmly. “NO.”  
“Why?” Daisy yelled. “What else are you going to have me do?”  
“Enough!” Father Pavel said calmly, hands raised, moving between the two. “James,” he said firmly looked at him. “Take the child down to spare room below, there are clean clothes and bedding, put her to bed.”  
The look on James face was like that of a child being told off but there was a hint of defiance. “Daisy is coming with me Father.”  
Exhaling the elderly priest waved his hand at him and replied. “Yes, yes but first put the child to sleep…she doesn’t need to hear this.”  
In two long strides, Daisy’s kidnapper walked over to her and stood in front of her, he looked Daisy squarely in the eye before he bent down and picked up Dominika gently with one arm. When holding her, his expression had changed, he smiled at her and spoke in Russia to her about how it was bedtime. The little girl nodded but looked at Daisy and said something to James. His expression changed as he told her something that made the little girl’s expression change completely, then in one quick motion, the little girl reached her arms out and wrapped them around Daisy’s neck in an embrace, saying Daisy’s name as she did so. Daisy hugged the little girl back, who was still being held by James.  
Pulling out of the hug, Dominika said in Russian to James. “Ded Moroz,” then turned to Daisy; “Snegurochka.” Then James began to walk away carrying Dominika to where she was to sleep for the night in the church. Watching them she frowned, the names she had just said she had heard before, one Dominika had said before but she didn’t understand it.  
As if reading her thoughts Father Pavel said. “Ded Moroz, he is like Russian’s version of Father Christmas…though he is a little different to the coca cola version.” Turning to face the elderly priest there was a sad smile on his face. “And Snegurochka is his helper, his grand-daughter or daughter, but also a snow-maiden.”  
Trying to think for a moment that her kidnapper was being called Father christmas by Dominika completely threw Daisy, but then she came to realise that essentially he had help rescue her from that horrible bar, at christmas, so there was some logic there, but only some.  
Father Pavel walked over to one of the pews, he sat down and made a sound of relief of sitting after being exhausted as he did so. “Please,” he said in English to Daisy, “sit. These seat aren’t just for praying, they are for simply sitting.”  
Daisy over and sat down on the pew next to him. For a moment they shared a peacefully quiet moment in the church together.  
“So…” Father Pavel said in English. “I am going to guess and say that you were taken by James unwilling.”  
“Yes.” Daisy said signing. “That’s one way of putting it. Assault and kidnapping is a better way of putting it.”  
Pushing his palms together Father Pavel looked up at the ceiling and signed. “I had hoped he would find peace in his freedom but he wants vengeance and to make Hydra pay.”  
“You know about Hydra?” Daisy asked.  
“Of course,” Father Pavel said, with a sad smile, “I may be a priest but I know many things.” Looking away from the ceiling to her he chuckled. “Priests can use google.”  
Daisy chuckled slightly at him.  
His face darkening, Father Pavel said in a serious tone. “I know about Hydra my child.”  
“From…” Daisy said trying to think what to say.”him…James.”  
Nodding Father Pavel said “Yes…but also from when I worked as a soldier in Hydra many years.”  
Leaning back against the pew Daisy looked more closely at Father Pavel, though he was elderly, there was a youthfulness to him, he had a kind and peaceful air about him and she could tell that he was the only one that her kidnapper actually listened to, and answer to, but looking at his hands she could see that there were deep scars along his them, smilier to burn scars, where new skin had grown but different to the old. But the thing that stood out the most to Daisy then, were his eyes, they were pale pale blue to point that they were almost whitish grey and they reminded her of the eyes of the blind she had seen in African, from diseases or chemicals, and a thought came into her head that Father Pavel was blind to nothing, he was a man who saw everything and more.  
“Hydra…” Daisy breathed the name. “But how?”  
Father Pavel looked at the altar a moment thinking before answering. “Years ago I hated Russia, I hated it and everything that had been to done to it, I escaped Russia and fled to Switzerland, thinking I could leave away from Mother Russia but…instead I was captured and taken back to be killed. 18 years, still a child and I was going to die.” As he spoke he never took his eyes from the altar and his voice was sole. “Instead, I was given taken away to work in the army as punishment…and I lived as a soldier, I didn’t care if I lived or died, so I as I was told.” Turning to face Daisy Father Pavel smiled weakly. “Despite myself I ended up being a good soldier and for some reason I was taken out of the USSR and bought to back to Switzerland to work as basically a guard dog in some laboratory for a Doctor and his team.” Shrugging his shoulders he exhaled. “I never asked or cared to know what they did, or who was I was working for, I had clothes and was fed, not killed, so to me this was life. Then…one day I met the Doctor and saw his work…” The expression on Father Pavel’s face changed, he looked haunted and tortured, he looked at Daisy and turned away, seeming to find it difficult to look her in the eye. “To this day I’ve never seen anything like it…the work was on people…testing, experimenting for chemicals, weapons, anything and everything…for no reason…simply because he could. After that I wanted to take my own life, I didn’t want to be any part of it…I was going to try and let them kill me, but instead the night I was going to run I was asked to stand guard as the Doctor’s work on of his successful experiments.” This time Father Pavel turned to face Daisy and gave a weak smile. “And then I met James…or The Winter Soldier for the first time…what the Doctor called his greatest success and his prize asset.”  
Walking down the old stairs to the underneath room that Father Pavel called his spare room, James and Dominika said nothing to each other, the child watched as he moved them down the stones stairs and entered in the tiny spare room that held only a bed and table with lamp on, which was surprisingly warm. James put Dominika down on to the floor, to where she slide out of his arm and walked over to the bed, she gave a tired sign.  
“Do you think Mama and Papa will be mad at me?” Dominika asked thoughtfully in Russian.  
James gave a weak smile. “Of course not, they will be happy to see you, very happy.”  
Looking to her left she saw the clothes on the bed, her eyes more beginning to look heavy and her head begun to lean to the side as if it was gradually becoming to heavy. Putting Tatiana down Dominika begun to take off Daisy coat and hand it to James.  
“Will you Daisy be going back to the Forest?” Dominika asked with a yawn.  
Taken back James frowned, how did Dominika know about where he had been with Daisy, she couldn’t possibly know anything about it. “The forest?” James asked in Russian.  
Nodding Dominika replied in Russian. “Yes, where you live when your not giving out presents and helping people.”  
Realising she was talking again about his being Ded Soroz, James smiled and walked over to Dominika, though he knew it was silly he didn’t want to ruin the child’s imagination and replied in Russian. “Yes, we’re go back and start preparing before the next big snow.”  
Picking up Tatiana again Dominika smiled at James. “I can’t wait to tell Mama that I’ve met you.”  
Walking over nearer to her, James knelt down on the floor near and put on a fake serious voice to her and said in Russian. “You have to not tell anyone about me Dominika, Ded Soroz has to be kept secret, you can keep a secret can’t you?” Dominika nodded. “Good, because I have to be able to work without people knowing I’m there…me and Daisy.”  
Giving another nod, with a more serious motion, Dominika said in Russian. “Promise.”  
Daisy asked. “Who was the Doctor, Father?”  
Exhaling and saying the name as if it pained him Father Pavel replied. “Zola, Arnim Zola.”  
That name, Daisy knew, she didn’t know everything about the man, but she knew that he had been a massive apart of her Father work and a massive part of her life even before she was born. “Father,” Daisy said. “what happened?”  
“I…” Father Pavel started. “stayed. I knew leaving him there was wrong, I thought if I stayed maybe I could help…but the Doctor moved him again and I was sent away to work elsewhere.” Sighing Father Pavel pushed his palms together near his chest. “They put me in America, shadow operation and I did what they wanted, I turned myself into a shadow and escape into America. I didn’t understand English but I knew that if stayed there they couldn’t find me, I spent years working anywhere and everywhere inside America, with no purpose. Then one day I got work building a church in a tiny city in Texas, and I begun to go to church and I begun to find peace, after years, I found peace, in a building made from my own hands and a building that people came into to worship and I realised there was more to God and people than I had ever known. Eventually I became a Priest, I traveled everywhere and anywhere again but this time to find God in the world and saw many wonderful and many beautiful things. Then after the end of Communism in Russia, I came back, after nearly 40 years I came home and become a priest here.”  
Tilting her head to the side Daisy frowned at Father Pavel. “And James?”  
Another sweet sad smile came across his face, he looked back to the altar. “I was walking home one day, a day like any other and I saw him, James, The Winter Soldier. At first I thought I was sent to kill me and I realised he had escaped, after all those years he had escaped. I asked him he if needed help, asked him to come back to the church with me…he was lost and was struggling to understand. He knew part of his past but not everything…he told me he came to Russian because he kept dreaming of there the most but he didn’t know why, he traveled there by stealing an aircraft. God does wonderful amazing things all the time and I think he bought James back to me so I could help him but…”  
For a moment Father Pavel went very quiet, he kept his eyes on the altar.  
“Father…?” Daisy asked.  
Realising he had been quiet for longer than he had intended, he turned back to Daisy and continued. “James wants to cut the head off the head and cut out the heart of Hydra permanently, he wants revenge and to make Hydra pay.”  
“And he wants me to help.” Daisy signed.  
“No…” Father Pavel said. “He wants to keep you out of harms way.”  
Frowning Daisy said. “What? He’s done nothing but put in harm’s way and near Hydra, I couldn’t be any closer to Hydra than a flea on a dog!”  
“Exactly.” Father Pavel said. Reaching out he took Daisy’s hand gently in his and leant forwards and spoke seriously to her. “James is using you to bring the fire closer so he can extinguish it.”  
“He’s one man, he can’t possibly think he can do it.” Daisy exclaimed.  
“He does.” Father Pavel answered. “Daisy, as insane as it sounds, stay near him, don’t leave him, you are safer with him than you think.”  
Shaking his head Daisy said firmly. “You don’t know what he’s done, what he had me doing…”  
“I don’t need to.” Father Pavel said. “James is going to get to the head of Hydra and destroy it.”  
Looking into Father Pavel’s eyes, Daisy wanted to protest more, tell him all about what he had been like to her, what he had done and said but as she looked into his eyes she begun to realise something, Father Pavel was being completely honest with her and whatever she asked he would answer. “Who is the head of Hydra.”  
“A daughter of former leader of Hydra. “ Father Pavel explains. “She’s not part of the fractionalised aspects of Hydra, she holds on the cards to original work of Hydra, Zola’s and Red Skull, she is the most dangerous.”  
Caitlin…Daisy realised franticly.  
“My sister? ” Daisy breathed.  
“The Hydra.” Father Pavel answered. “She goes by different names.”  
“Father…” Daisy said. “Why does he want me…really?”  
“Because…” Father Pavel said, squeezed her hand. “You and he were created for the same purpose by Hydra and keeping you away from Hydra is as sure as keeping himself safe.”  
From the left came footsteps, both Daisy and Father Pavel turned their heads at the same time, Father Pavel gently letting go of Daisy’s hand, to see James walking towards, carrying Daisy coat under his arm. He walked towards the pew they sat on, his face unreadable, when he stood near the pew on Father Pavel’s right he stood and looked at them.  
“Sit down.” Father Pavel said putting his hand down on the sit next to him.  
Looking uncomfortable James sat down next to Father Pavel, his bulky muscled body taking up more than was and his leg stuck out from the side of the sit, to where he sat slouched over the small seat next to the elderly Priest.  
Looking at them both Father Pavel said. “Well this is far from comfortable and cosy isn’t it?”  
Daisy had to admit, Father Pavel was by far the most honest person she met.  
Clearly his throat James said. “Dominika is asleep.”  
“Good.” Father Pavel nodded. “Can I still not change your mind about staying James?”  
“No.” James said simply.  
Next to Father Pavel, Daisy shuffled in her seat.  
“Hmmm.” Father Pavel sighed. “Will you do one last thing for me James before you go?”  
Leaning back in the pew so that the seat made a creaking noise, James looked down at the floor and replied in a sad voice. “You know I can’t do it Father.”  
Reaching over Father Pavel touched James shoulder. “Someday you will my child, you will allow yourself absolution.”  
Seeing how Father Pavel’s hand rested on James shoulder, Daisy could see that he was he wasn’t at all comfortable in having human contact, that if it was anyone else he was likely to violently shake them off but because it was Father Pavel he didn’t. Slowly James looked up from the floor and into Father Pavel’s eyes, to where he gave a sad solemn look that changed slowly to gratefulness as he looked at the elderly Priest, there was limitless respect from James to Father Pavel and from Father Pavel to James, though the two man were extremely different they were bound together from the past and there future though different would only strength with the help of the other’s respect, even though they would may never see each other again.  
With her own coat back on, Daisy and James left the church, Father Pavel gave Daisy a gentle hug and said a blessing in Russian to her and watched as they both left into the snowy cold night.


	30. 30

**The Avengers Tower**  
_New York City_.

Alone with the lights down low, Bruce Banner sat in his ‘office’ which was more like an apartment, spending more time in there than the room he had in Avengers Tower, sleeping at his desk or the floor or not sleeping at all. Lately he had not been sleeping, purely for the fact that he couldn’t rest and sleep was not a comfort for him, even with advice from Steve Rogers and Thor to work out and exhaust his body, he couldn’t.  
Rubbing his eyes Bruce looked up at the projected digital clock on the opposite wall, it read it was 5.33am, which meant he had had another night of not sleeping. Running his fingers through his hair, Bruce stood up and walked over to the brewed coffee pot and poured himself a coffee, still warm but burnt tasting from having been sat there for the last few hours. Drinking the coffee Bruce walked out of his office down the corridor and out to where he could go the 360 degree view of the New York skyline from the 7 paned glass window. When he reached there he took in the view and saw the gentle winter quietness of the city, just starting to come to life.  
There wasn’t any more snowing felling down now, it lay on the ground from where it had fallen a few hours previously, which he glad about, it meant he could have a decent view.  
Bruce enjoyed the view more than he liked to admit, he wasn’t sure why, it wasn’t for any fulfilled desire of a King Over His land, that was something Tony Stark might feel, not for Bruce it something else, it was, despite the fact that he so high up, so early in the morning, with no-one around or awake, that he felt so not as alone as he could sometimes feel.  
_“You can see the pollution on the skyline.”_ Daisy had teased him when he had first showed it to her. _“And I think I can see a guy mugging an old lady down there!”_  
Leaning forward, Bruce smiled, he knew Daisy could always make a joke of something like the view, she knew that it meant something to him but she didn’t to let him know she knew, they were close enough to know when things mattered to the other. It had been in India, when they had taken one of the Medi Trucks out to one of the poorer communities and they traveled back too late and had to spend the night in the truck over night rather travel back in the night, so when morning rose over the land and city far far beyond both Bruce and Daisy had sat on the roof and saw as the world before them came to life in the most the amazing moving colours they had ever seen. After that, the two would go to see the sunrise with each other in India and wherever they were. Bruce knew that New York wasn’t the natural beauty that all the other countries he had been to, but it was a wonder to be in it and be a part of it.  
Watching the view for a few minutes more, Bruce heard footsteps behind him, though they were gentle and quiet he knew who they were, he gave a weak smile.  
“Hey Nat.” Bruce said, still facing the view.  
Walking closer, Natasha Romanov stood beside him, she was wearing leisure wear, more than likely ready to go to the gym, her hair was pinned out of her eyes and she wore no makeup.  
Looking down at Bruce was always amazed when he saw Natasha without make-up, she was still flawless and stunning to look at, but she also looked young. Bruce for a moment compared Natasha to Daisy, wondering that if Natasha was missing would he be as worried about her the same way he was about Daisy…and thought yes, because even though Natasha was able to fight her way out anything, the two woman were still his friends and all wants and purposes his family now.  
“Morning.” Natasha said looking out to the city with him. “No sleep again?”  
Drinking his coffee Bruce shrugs and said. “Didn’t even try…”  
Not looking away from the view Natasha said. “I spoke to Clint,” Bruce looked over at her away from the view, “he said he’s not found anything from that tip he mentioned. Fury said he’ll get back today about-“  
“I know Nat…” Bruce said softly. “I read the messages…I know we’re back to square one.”  
Reaching out, Natasha touched Bruce’s arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We’re not back at square one.”  
Looking at her hand on his arm, Bruce momentarily tensed up, he wasn’t used to being touched but Natasha knew the best way to make contact with him, there hadn’t been an incident like there had been on the Hellicarrier with Loki, but in the back of his mind Bruce was always aware of the possibility, he liked to think he was a lot less angry than he had been back than, even starting to believe his turning into the green other guy helped, instead of keeping him hidden but it was still always there.  
“Nat…” Bruce said sadly. “I don’t want to think she’s dead but her family had a lot of enemies and the fact she’s just vanished-“  
“Means we’re going to have to work harder.” Natasha shot in. Stepping in front of him, so she could make eye contact, Natasha said in a firm voice. “We’re going to find her Bruce, we’re not without hope. Daisy needs you to not give up hope.”  
Bruce felt guilty, he knew Natasha was right but he just couldn’t stop what he felt. “I know…but I just know what happens to good people in this world Nat, they’re the ones who die and get killed…the rest of us live.”  
“Your a good person Bruce.” Natasha smiled at him. “Don’t forget that…ever.”  
Outside the window the dawn begun to break, rising from under the skyscrapers, slipping the river and the bridge, illumining the city for the new day. Bruce looked back at the view, he reached his other hand over to touch Natasha’s hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you Nat.”  
Turning her head to look at the view as well, Natasha leant the side of head on Bruce’s shoulder, enjoying the view and saying nothing as she stood next to Bruce. Standing there Bruce felt at peace, for a while at least.


	31. 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigging responsibilities getting in the way of writing, damn life being busy (or myself being lazy as hell).

**Moscow, Russia**  
_4,664.21 miles From New York_

Walking together side by side together, Daisy tried to keep her focus on her feet, the snow was falling heavier but not faster, so that every snowflakes seemed to count as it settled onto the ground. Daisy couldn’t tell if they were traveling back the way they had come or not, she could barely remember the route, it was all new to her. After a while, still walking side by side, but still being led, they crossed a road that bought them into a relatively busier part of Moscow again, where the night time and the snow didn’t seem to matter to those around. Wrapped and moving, Daisy looked around them, it was a trendy part of Moscow, definitely somewhere they hadn’t been before, the people around them wore less winter-worthy clothes as they walked from bar to nightclub to bar to nightclub, around them christmas lights and general festival winter jolliment was being had.  
James, took hold of Daisy arm, gently and subtly pulling her nearer to him, Daisy caught a glance of his face and could see how uncomfortable he was, though this environment was far less dangerous than the theatre bar they had been in before, he was far less in control here.  
Moving further in, trying to get through what was basically the hub of night-time partying district, James kept his eye focused, his head high and his sense keen. Trying to keep her feet in check, against the surrounding people and the falling snow, Daisy didn’t seen as a crowd of happily drunk gaints Russian man came walking from a bar, there was 7 in total, but because of their size there may as well have been 12, a few of them had an equally drunk girl on their arm, falling out of the bar with them. Only just having time to register them, she didn’t notice as one of the largest of the happily drunk man picked her up the waist and begun to hold her up and spin her round, laughing as he did so, with his friends cheering drunkenly.  
Daisy felt her kidnapper let go of her arm and saw for a brief moment his face as she was spun away from him.  
More than likely it was because the festive season and the lateness of the hour, but those that were in that area begun to join and follow the happily drunk crowd of gains man as they moved back in the hub of the party district.  
The hand of the man holding Daisy were huge, he didn’t squeeze her or man handle her, he was so strong and she was so small he was holding her as she was a toddler. Getting a look at his face, she saw he was bear of a man, with a massive grin, neatly red short cut hair and muscles from neck to feet, there wasn’t an ounce of threatening malice on his face as he held her. Spinning her around and around as they moved down the street in a different direction than to where she had come from, the people in the following crowd begun to clap and cheer. From all the spinning Daisy couldn’t see where her kidnapper James was, she begun to feel worried, worried because even though she was still a kidnappee and being held against her will, she was alone in Russia and with no idea what to do.  
Looking at her face, the giant red haired happily drunk Russian man could see her face distorted with fear and worry, he stopped his spinning and placed Daisy gently down on the ground as if was child, he bowed at her and said something in Russian to her in a kind voice and then gave her a single golden wrapped little chocolate that he placed in her palm with a smile as he leant down above her. The gentle sweetness of his nature and the sheer size of him as he did so made Daisy smile as she looked at the chocolate. With a nod the giant man and his friends begun to dance away down the street to continue the merry drunken festivities for the evening, the sound of clapping going with them.  
Watching them as they went, Daisy then looked down to the small golden chocolate in her hand, wondering if it was some Russian custom she didn’t know about or the dancing men were just doing this for the evening to every random stranger the took to pick up and spinning around. Holding the chocolate, something caught her eye, looking up she could see a figure of a man walking frantically around, moving from door way to door way and straining his neck to look around and above the people in the crowd.  
Her kidnapper was desperately trying to find her.  
Closing her hand around the chocolate, Daisy pushed herself backwards against the wall behind her, trying to make herself disappear.  
She was free.  
Knowing full well that she had to move fast, Daisy pulled the hood of her coat over her head, crouched down and shoot herself through the crowd away from where she had spied her kidnapper. Daisy was only a metre away from her kidnapper when she slipped past him.  
James was panicked, he knew with the space of those few seconds she couldn’t of gone far. At a distance, James saw the giant man and his friends outside a bar nearby, pushing his way through the crowd James was in front of the man within a moment.  
Instantly James was shouting at the man, asking him where Daisy was, looking annoyed and vexed but not to the point where he was going to try to fight the man. Taken back by the appearance of James before, shouting and asking about what had he done with Daisy, the man held up his palms and apologised, telling James he meant no offence, he saw a pretty girl and danced with her. Looking to where he had come from he pointed in the direction and told her he last seen her, extending his giant palm outwards doing so.  
With his keen trained eyes James stared out to the direction and didn’t see Daisy, however, he did saw a figure further way moving fast away from that direction. Saying no more James dashed and moved towards where he saw the figure.  
Standing there the giant happily drunk Russian man watched James as he went. Though he was giant man who could install fear and take on anyone, he was not a man without heart or caring, to this man he didn’t like how the man had come to him, asking about where his girl was, something about it seemed possessive and unnerving. Having held the woman in his hands, he knew she wasn’t a strong woman and something inside of the man knew that the girl couldn’t be the sort who would willingly be with a man like that. With a stern thinking look on his face, the giant man watched at possessive man run after the girl, though he could easily have turned away and carried on enjoying the night with his friends, he knew couldn’t have a good evening worrying about the girl, after all she was someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s wife, and to leave if she needed help, that was not something he could not do.  
Turning back to his friends the giant red haired man, said simply in Russian. “Come, we need to see whats happening.” His friend didn’t protest, the looked over at the man walking away and nodded, knowing full well what their friend was thinking.  
Not knowing at all where she going, Daisy knew she had to get as far away from there as possible, when she was at a good distance she would try to find a police station or try to find the American Embassy, she’d get in contact with Bruce and she would be alright. There had to be an embassy in Moscow wasn’t there? There had to be…but there was definitely a police station, she knew that. She’d explained, she was kidnapped and held against her will. She would be back home…or she would be back in New York to her apartment, or that place she lived.  
Squeezing on the golden wrapped chocolate Daisy walked through the crowd, finding the snow had stopped falling and she could see more clearly where she going. She reached a main round, cars and buses were going up down, crossing the road she moved quickly, she was no longer in a crowd, she was exposed and out in the open, she had to get somewhere where she could hid or be out of view. Ahead of her, she saw a square, with a specular lite christmas tree in the middle, surround by large building that were either hotels or business offices and shops/restaurants, all very large and grand window and entrances, all covering the square, none modern and very typical of Russian Architecture. Moving closer she saw the sign for the Metro Subway and she begun to move quicker towards it, the thought occurring to her she could stay there for a while in the warm, stay there for a while and make sure she wasn’t being followed by her kidnapper.  
With more determination she run toward the station, past the existing people of the station and through the double doors of the entrance way, passing through the festively decorated windows and entrance, into the yellow lite halogen lights of the subway in Moscow.


	32. 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a kitchen there's a fridge and something else...hmmm.

One Year Earliier  
Washington, The Triskelion.

Sat in her Father’s office on the other side of his desk as Alexander Pierce sat working at his laptop before him, glasses on, fully focused. It was mid-morning and so far all Daisy had done was sit, her backside side had become numb but she hadn’t moved from the same position for hours, she knew that trying to maintain a still silence and controlled facade to her Father and everyone was very important, essentially her life depended on her, but she was starting to feel twitchy and wanted to stretch out.  
“Flower?” Pierce said as he still worked at his computer.  
“Yes Father.” Daisy replied.  
“Do you want to go and see your sister in her office down the hall? I’m going to be another hour.” Alexander Pierce said still not looking up from his computer as he worked.  
She knew that her father saying that wasn’t an suggestion, it was a gentle order, that Pierce wanted to work in his office alone, more than likely for the fact that she simply sat there and was doing nothing of use. With her palms on her lap, Daisy stretched her fingers out and stood up with ease and walked out the room. Since she had been ‘turned’ she had been barely left alone, she had hoped she could have at least been alone at home for an hour at least but she was being taken where her Father and sister were.  
Walking out the door she begun down the corridor to where she knew her sister’s office was, an office until recently she didn’t know existed. The hallway that led to her sister’s office was still in the same red and black Japanese inspired art but walking past it, it seemed more aggressive than the other art from the elevator. The floor that Caitlin Pierce and Alexander worked on was a strange place, though it was obviously large, there seem to be a boxiness to it, as if there were office there but there was no door that led to them, which was strange and made the hallway feel closed.  
Caitlin door was the same as her Father’s, and most of Shield, so it required bio-metric identification, which Daisy gave without moving her head close to or lowering it, as it scanned her easily. Within a second the door shield open and Daisy was allowed inside. The office of Caitlin Pierce was extremely empty, there only a glass table with a screen and chair, nothing else, no art, no personal items, nothing. Walking in Daisy didn’t find her sister, she wasn’t working at her desk like Alexander Pierce had been.  
Moving further in Daisy turned and looked around the room, the whole room was black and white, not an ounce of colour, even the tint of the windows caused the mid-day sun to shine in darkly and gloomily. Opening her mouth to say her sister’s name, Daisy saw within the wall behind the table and screen was a door, hidden and built into the wall, leading to somewhere else. Even though she wan’t surprised, this was an secretive organisation, every office and room probably had a hidden room within them, Daisy felt surprised that the door was opened, instead of closed. Walking over slowly Daisy reached the door and gently begun to open it, slowly putting her head round, trying her best to not make it seem as if she was prying or spying but simply looking.  
Inside she could see another room, this room was red and inside she could see chairs surround by a table, the table being black, the chairs red, looking more closely she could see on the table was the Hydra symbol. From inside she could hear two people talking.  
Leaning in Daisy tried to listen.  
“Give it up.” Came Caitlin voiced. “This is old and pathetic.”  
“Ha, you do this every-time you come back after a long mission Cat.” Came a familiar male voice.  
“I’m serious.” Caitlin replied sternly and in a bored tone.  
“You know you missed me…” Said the voice a mocking amused tone. “Come on, just one kiss Cat.”  
“No Rumlow.” Caitlin hissed. “We are done this time.”  
Taking a breath Daisy knew that she couldn’t stand outside any longer, she didn’t want her sister to thinking she was spying, even though she was, but now was the time. Clearing her throat she walked into the meeting room and said her sister’s name before she came in.  
Both Caitlin and Rumlow stood very close together, the two similar in height but Rumlow standing with Caitlin Pierce as if he was ready to embrace her. Doing her best to look unsurprised or shocked by the entrance of her sister, Caitlin turned to face her sister and gave her a sly smile.  
“Daisy,” Caitlin said from across the table. “Has Father sent you to check on me?”  
“No.” Daisy said simply, though unsure if that was truth.  
Still looking at Daisy, Caitlin said to Rumlow over her shoulder. “Leave Rumlow.”  
Making a quick but very clear annoyed face, Rumlow clenched his fists and looked at the Pierce sisters, his eyes lingering at Caitlin as so slightly with a hungry but angry look. “Yes, Ma’am.” As he left he gave Daisy wink.  
Both sisters were alone in the room now, standing across the table from each other in the Hydra embronzed table between.  
“Take a sit sis.” Caitlin said with the same sly smile. “Let’s talk.”  
Daisy did so, keeping herself composed and calm. Caitlin sat down across from her, placing her palms on the table and leaning forward in her sit, though her manners were strong and bold, she never lost any of femininity as she did so. With head tilted to the side, Caitlin looked directly at her sister and said in her usual calm cool voice. “How are you feeling Daisy?”  
“I’am feeling very well.” Daisy replied, her voice calm and emotionless. “I feel fulfilled.”  
“Fulfilled?” Caitlin asked. “Why?”  
Taking a low breath, gearing herself to begin her performance. “I am a part of Hydra…I have purpose.”  
“You didn’t before?” Caitlin said quickly.  
“No.” Daisy answered back.  
“You know, you still have to prove yourself Daise.” Caitlin said straightening her head. “You have to prove your loyalty to Hydra, your obedience to the cause.”  
For a moment Daisy said nothing, she felt a lump in her throat form, she felt the urge to swallow but couldn’t, knowing her sister was watching everything she did, any change of her body language was something her sister could read from, any muscle move or change of voice, Daisy knew her sister was good at her work, she could read anyone.  
“Of course.” Daisy replied, head level, eye focused on her sister’s face. “But I haven’t been told how to yet.”  
Smiling at Daisy, Caitlin pushed her palms closer together in fashion that Daisy had never seen her do before, she had a look of glee on her face, but not the sort of glee of any average person, this was different, this was sinister.  
“Well,” Caitlin said. “How would you like to meet someone who is one of Dad’s oldest friends.”  
Not saying a word Daisy simply nodded.  
Caitlin Pierce walked out her so called office, Daisy following behind, to find Rumlow waiting outside, patiently. Stopping in front of him, Caitlin Pierce gave Rumlow a disgustful look and said in a stern voice. “We’re going to the Kitchen.” Rumlow nodded and gave Daisy a small nod as he did so. “I want Rollins and you to accompany me there.”  
“Would you like me to inform-“ Rumlow started.  
“Did I say anything about informing anyone?” Caitlin said angrily. “Your orders are to accompany us there, n-o-w.”  
“Yes, Ma’am.” Rumlow said.  
With that Caitlin walked to the elevator, Daisy and Rumlow following behind, Rumlow contacting Rollins to meet them through his contact.  
Thinking quickly Daisy wondered what the term The Kitchen meant, it wasn’t anything she had heard her sister or Father say in content to with Shield, and if they had it would have slipped her attention.  
Leaving the Shield headquarters all four traveled in the standard shield black four by four. Rumlow had opened the door for Daisy and Caitlin, giving Caitlin a smiled smirk with which she glared at him with daggers, When driving all sat in total silence, Daisy and her sister sat in the back, whilst Rumlow and Rollins sat in the front with Rollins driving. After a few minutes Rumlow looked at him phone, having received a message and said. “They want to know if you want to begin the process now, before we get there.”  
“No.” Caitlin said sternly. “Inform them the process is to be started when I arrive and give the order.”  
Rumlow nodded and replied back to the message.  
With her hands resting on her lap, Daisy felt her palms beginning to sweat. “Where are we going?”  
Looking at Daisy, Caitlin smiled with similar smile she had used before, but with more sinister excitement that made her eyes gleam, turning away from her sister to look ahead, Caitlin replied in her nearest normal voice. “You’ll see.”


	33. 33

**Moscow, Russia**  
_4,664.20 miles From New York_

Pushing the door to the station open Daisy was greeted by a warm burst of warm stale air and a bundled up family coming through the same doors as her, moving to the side they let her past, to which she nodded and smiled a thank you, not wanting to risk speaking. Inside the station there was a tall slim christmas tree not far from where she stood, made from what must have been recycled cans, as it shone like metal and looked like it has been compressed together and decorated, it was interesting and unusual. Elsewhere there were christmas pictures drawn by children on the wall, it was a sweet sight and Daisy would have liked to have seen more of it but she knew she had move quickly. Turning to her left she saw steps that led down into the station, wide two tier stairs down. Putting her hands into her pockets she walked down, trying her best to look composed and not a woman who had been kidnapped and was trying to escape her kidnapper. At the bottom of the stairs she could hear the voice of tannoy speaking in Russian, barely audible over the sound of the underground trains below and before her she found the barrier into the station, which made her gasp at her stupidity, forgetting she couldn’t get on to the metro without a ticket or money, Daisy pushed her hands into her pockets.  
What was there to do? Looking up she saw the camera in the corners, and knew that she could try to jump over the barrier but didn’t want to risk it and draw action to herself. Behind her more people were coming into the station, on their journey home or going to continue their night elsewhere.  
A mild panic formed in her chest.  
Thinking fast, she had an idea. She begun to pretend she was franticly looking through her coat pockets, shaking her coat, pulling her pockets out and making herself look on the verge of tears in front of the crowd of people coming down the stairs. A few of them looked blankly at her but one elderly man looked at her concernedly, his gentle aged face and deep brown eyes wide with worry, with his cane he walked over to her, with his hunched back he was only slightly taller than Daisy. Speaking in Russian to her, Daisy simply looked at him, face upset and tears falling down her cheeks.  
If only I knew a tiny bit of Russian. Daisy thought.  
The elderly man, lowered his head and asked her a question. Taking a chance she shook her head and made herself cry harder. Tilting his head the elderly man extended his hands in an open gesture of ‘awww’. With a cheeky look in his eye, he put his finger to his lip and waved her to follow him over to the barrier, at which moment another small flow of people were entering in. Gesturing his hand for Daisy to go in front of him at the barrier, the old man looked left and right, then placed his pass on the reader, to which the barrier opened, with a small tap of his cane on Daisy’s shoulder he told Daisy to go through, to which she did. When through, she turned to the old man, who gave her a cheeky wink and waved his hand for to go, to which after he again put his pass on the reader, which did not work, simply beeped at him. Again the elderly man did again, and again it beeped louder, which the people behind were growing impatient, a small mumble of annoyance escaped from a few of them. With a cheeky smile, he tried again knowing full well it wouldn’t work.  
Daisy wiped her eyes, smiled at the elderly and went down the escalator down, walking down the moving stairs to get to the platform faster. Mentally Daisy thanked all the Gods and Goddesses in the world for that small wonderful luck of the kindness of the elderly Russian man.  
At the end of the escalator Daisy was met by the brightly lite metro station and its smell of warmth and metal, with the sight before her of the of mixed red, brown and white patterned marble floor, with pylon walls in either darker shades with metal coverings. Walking further into the she could see the lighting above was on the inside circle of the ceiling where different paintings were above, all different with amazing details, perfectly positioned so that which ever angle you walked you always got a wonderful view of the images. Head tilted up as she walked, for a moment she felt lost in the details of them, only to come to her senses when the sound of a train screaming dully to a halt and people exiting off.  
Above at the barrier the elderly Russian man still continued his attempt to try his pass. Behind a small crowd had built up, trying to get to the other available barrier or wait for the first barrier to be usable again. From behind a frustrated young Russian man asked to try for the elderly man, smiling cheekily gratefully at him, the elderly man gave him his pass. And like the elderly man, the young man tried the pass and nothing, to which he frowned and tried again, this time pressing the pass very hard on the reader. Smirking to himself from the side, the elderly man couldn’t help but feel like a school boy playing a trick and enjoying it.  
Walking down the stairs, hands in his pocket, hair pushed behind his ears came Daisy’s kidnapper. Upon seeing the crowd he looked carefully to try and find Daisy, trying his best to not look to obvious in doing so.  
The young Russian man’s friend behind him was now trying, cursing in Russian to which a mother with her two small children hissed at him to mind his language in front of her children. Looking at the pass and then the reader, the second young man waited a second before trying again, which it beeped loudly again at him.  
An exhausted sign came from everyone behind.  
From behind the other side of the barrier a metro station worker came over, asking what was going on, his express annoyed. Both the young Russian men begun explaining, pointing at the elderly Russian man, who shrugged his shoulders at the station worker. Rolling his eye the man on the other side, he moved to the barrier and pressed a button and let the barrier open, waving the elderly man to come through. With his cane and cheeky smile the elderly man walked through and nodded thank you to everyone, who as he did so, all the annoyance and frustrated disappeared as the all they saw was a small sweet little Russian man going on his way, no-one seeing the mischief maker he really was.  
Gradually everyone begun moving through the barrier, Daisy’s kidnapper walked down the left side of the escalator down at speed, not knowing if he was going to even find Daisy.  
At the end of the platform, standing before the second set of escalator that lend further down to another platform, Daisy was looking at the last painting above her head that was WW2 fighter plane in the air, when she saw the crowd of people come down from the escalator at the other end, all moving with speed and patience. From her right a train came and many got on and many got off. Drawing her attention to the side she looked at the name of the Russian stations in front of them, all unknown to her. She couldn’t figure out where was where and what was what.  
Does it matter? Daisy thought. Just get as far away as possible, as quickly as you can.  
With that thought in her head she turned to walk to one side of the platform when something caught her eye.  
Walking from the other end of the platform was her metal armed kidnapper, his head lowered and his gaze furnace like.  
Inhaling a shocked breath, Daisy took two, three steps back to the escalator that lead to the next level, before she turned and begun to run down them at speed. From behind her, walking in the centre of the two marbled platform Daisy’s kidnapper begun to move faster.  
This part of the station was much quieter, Daisy could only guess the metro line was not as centralised at the platform above, as there hardly anyone going down them, as she moved down she saw only a couple and lady traveling up to the upper level and no-one in front of her as she went, only one person behind her in pursuit.  
On the lower platform she found similar design and layout to the upper one, though the there was an opposite to colours and shading, this level taking on a more reddish tone throughout. Running along the platform Daisy darted to her right and hid herself behind one of the marble granite pylons, pushing her frame to the side, watching to see if her kidnapper followed.  
From the escalator Daisy’s kidnapper stopped in his steps for a moment and looked around him.  
Hidden behind Daisy held her breath, from the scream sound of the trains above she couldn’t hear anything to let her know if he was near.  
Using three long strides, Daisy kidnapper walked to the left, to where he poked his head out on the platform from the behind the pylon. Scanning up and down with his eyes, he saw nothing. Spinning on his heels he approached the other side. First walking away from the first and second red pylon and stooping in front the third he waited.  
From the other side where her kidnapper stood in front of the granite and marble, Daisy waited.  
Seeing nothing, Daisy begun to slide herself along the wall, so the she came into the arch of the pylon and moved slowly along it’s wall to the middle of the platform, where upon she poked her head out.  
Standing in front of her, full height, head high and looking down at tiny frame, stood her kidnapper.  
“Damnit.” She breathed, letting out the breath she had been holding in.  
Glaring at her he said nothing. Instead he reached out his arm and grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her to him.  
“Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to explore?” Daisy asked sarcastically.  
Pressing his lips together he looked down at her and said. “Why can’t you just…do what I say.”  
Holding her shoulder he turned them both to where the the escalator was. In front of them at that moment, coming on to the platform was the 7 giant happily drunk Russian men with red haired man who had danced with Daisy in front them, his face no longer happy or cheery but menacing walking towards James and Daisy.


	34. 34

**One Year Earlier.**  
_Washington, Rock Creek Cemetery._

 

She could feel it, she could feel a huge sense of anxiety and fear sitting inside of her stomach, it made it ache and hurt so much she thought she was going to be sick. This was something that her sister was doing without the knowledge of their Father, and that unnerved Daisy, as one thing she had learnt in the last few days and the life that her Father lived within Hydra with Shield was that he knew everything and ‘everyone’ listened to him, so for Caitlin Pierce to do something without telling him meant something potentially bad and dangerous.  
When they arrived Daisy looked out the window at Cemetery, a military cemetery. Rumlow got out the car and walked over to open Daisy’s door. Stepping out Daisy felt the feeling in her stomach twist. What were they doing here? She knew that her Grandfather was buried here, she been to the lot with her Father on veteran’s day to lay flowers and pay their respects. Scanning the surroundings with her eyes, but not moving her head, she drank it all in, seeing all the perfectly white headstones laid out rows and rows ahead and to the sides of her made Daisy numb. The futility of war, the loss of life, generations after generations, the way lives simply ended and ending in places likes these.  
“Come.” Caitlin said, taking Daisy’s hand into hers. This was something that her sister had not done in years, and when she did, Daisy could feel how smooth and slim her sister’s fingers were, long and elegant but cold, icy. Walking together the height difference was almost funny, in comparison to Caitlin, Daisy looked like a child.  
Only walking a few yards, with Rumlow and Rollins following behind they came to cottage, which was were Daisy guessed the ground’s keeper lived. Walking over the front door opened and instead of a typical workerman wearing individual stood a man, built like Rollins but with white blonde hair and larger head, all in combat gear.  
“Hail Hydra.” The man said in a thick East European accent that Daisy couldn’t place.  
“Hail Hydra.” Caitlin responded. “Are we ready Hecter?”  
Saying nothing the man Hecter nodded and closed the door behind them, then taking the lead and walking into the house. Inside the house, it was cosmetically fine, old oak furniture, period, dated curtains and old musky smell everywhere. But then they stopped, in front of what was the door to the basement. Opening it revealed the door to a closed metal elevator door that opened quickly before them and they entered. The elevator was massive, big enough to fit a car. Moving downwards Daisy was surprised for a second that where they were going was going to be subterranean, Hydra was extremely a secretive organisation inside a very very secretive organisation…but under a graveyard, the morbidity and lack of respect was just unbelievable.  
Going down and down, Daisy felt the air change, its felt colder and their was a chemical smell to the air.  
With a bang and swoosh they stopped and doors opened. Still holding her sister’s hand, Daisy walked out into the dim light room before them. In front of them was nothing, but ahead was another doorway, that seemed to be produce steam or smoke. Moving forward, the man Hector took the lead, again pulling the plastic medical operation like doors open, causing the steam to escape and push Daisy’s hair slightly.  
Lite more brightly than their previous room, the place was bathed in blue and was cold. Inside there were lite-up computer screens, all surround a doomed container with which had wires and tubes coming out from the top of it.  
“Ms Pierce.” Said a man in a white shirt and a electric blue bowtie. His face was small and mousey but at the moment he looked angered and enraged. “I don’t think you know what your doing. We can’t-“  
“Begin the process Lomacks.” Caitlin said pointedly.  
“We can’t do this without more men.” Lomacks said quickly, his voice angry but nervous. “I only have 3 man here, we need at least 7 more to do this successfully. Let me contact your-“  
“No!” Caitlin shouted. Stepping in front of Lomack, so she towered in front of him, she lowered her eyes and said firmly. “Begin the process now or I will begin it myself. Clear?”  
From Lomack a bald goateed beard man stood in front of the computers to the side of them said. “Keith, let’s just start.”  
Exhaling exhausted Lomack looked up at Caitlin Pierce in the eyes. “Begin the process.”  
From where he stood the goateed man begun to type and in front a red light in the room begun to flash and the side of hissing as if a gas was escaping begun. With one hand Caitlin pushed Lomacks to the side and stepped forward, her eyes fully focused on the doomed container in front of them. Still looking ahead, Caitlin held out her hand to Daisy as indication for her to come forwards and take it.  
Inhaling a breath, trying to sooth her stomach Daisy moved forwards and took her sister’s hand. Looking ahead at the container before them, a clicking sound came and the top of domed container begun to come up, being pulled up off it slowly, releasing steam and metal against metal noises as it did so.  
“Whats-whats that?” Daisy said slowly. Looking at it, she could think of one thing it could be. “Is it a weapon?”  
Turning to face her sister, Caitlin looked down at her and smiled. “Yes, yes its a weapon. The best weapon that Hydra created.”  
Behind them Rumlow and Rollins begun to ready their fire arms at their sides, not even looking at each other as they did but doing together in synchronicity. Next to the container as it opened were three man, all in build, heavy build in caps and armed with what Daisy couldn’t tell were guns or Tazors. Next to each other Lomack and the goateed man looked at each other with what could only be described as a ‘oh God’ look.  
Through the steam and the wires and tubes as they were pulled away, lifted above, Daisy could see what was in front of them. A man, a long haired man, head lowered down, strapped into something, a mask covering his face.

 

 **Moscow, Russia**  
_4,664.20 miles From New York_

Moving closer along the platform the group of men spread themselves out almost in a line, in an attempt to block the exist and to be intimidating, which for Daisy was working, but for her kidnapper he gave an annoyed and exhausted exhale from behind her. With his arm on her shoulder he whispered. “Stay close.”  
“Of course.” Daisy said under her breath looking at the men.  
Obviously the men were there because they wanted to help what they considered was a woman in trouble but from the look of them, they were quite happy to cause as much trouble as possible in doing so, more than likely considering it ‘fun’.  
Stopping a few yards ahead from where Daisy and her kidnapper stood, the large red hair man stood in the middle of the other 6 men. He made a gesture with his hands and spoke in Russian. “So…you found her then?”  
“Yes.” He replied back in Russian, his voice was low and measure, his head lowered as he looked over the men ahead of him. “Did you come to help?”  
Giving a chuckle the red haired Russian said. “We did, thought that the young lady could do with some help.”  
“She’s fine.” James replied. “We’re going home now.”  
“Oh…” The red haired man said, taking a step forward. “Because we think that she does need her help. We think that she was trying to run away from you.”  
From around him the men all nodded and muttered in Russian their agreement.  
“Gentlemen…” James said bringing up his head and making his tone more serious but calm. “You are very much mistaken. Let us go and no-one will be harmed.”  
All the men, especially the red hair man, laughed loudly, the sound loud despite the noise of a train arriving on to the left platform. From the train three passenger came off, saw the scene in front of them and dashed off away, heading to the stairs to go up.  
Next to the red haired man, a man with a thick neck and shiny bald head chuckled and said. “No-one will be harmed…should we be worried?”  
Looking directly at Daisy the red haired Russian spoke to her in Russian. “Would you like to come with us?”  
Daisy looked back at him, she bite her lip and turned her head slightly to look at her kidnapper, his focus was on the man in front of them. With her hands at her sides she squeezed her fingers in her wrists as she spoke. “I can’t understand what your saying.”  
All the man looked at each other, the red haired man looked at James and frowned, then looked back at Daisy, in English he asked. “Do you want to come with us?”  
Ever so slightly she felt James tighten his hold on shoulder and she held her breath for a second.  
Thinking fast she looked at the men, she knew that her kidnapper could fight all these men but could he win, he was unarmed?  
“No.” She breathed. “I want to stay.”  
One of the men from behind the red haired man said in Russian. “We can’t leave her.”  
Returning his gaze back her, then to James, the red haired man said. “We are going to take her and we are going to take you to the police.”  
The Police! Daisy thought. For a moment she felt relief, the police would help her, get her back to America…but they would also take James and he could end up back in control of Hydra, back to being a brainwashed assassin. Looking at his face fully she realised the whole time she had been trying to escape she hadn’t thought what would happen to her kidnapper, he needed help but he was hiding, hiding from Hydra and the people who had destroyed his mind, if she went with the men she could very well be safe…but James wouldn’t, there was no-end of bad things that could happen, he had done so many bad things over the years as a brainwashed killer, things he couldn’t have stopped himself and he would be held accountable, because there always had to be someone to blame.  
“NO!” She shouted. She moved herself in front of him and like she was mother-bird protecting her young, she spread her arms out like they were wings in front of him.  
Looking down at Daisy the face of her kidnapper was comical, his eyes-brows were raised and the shocked expression seemed to have pushed his head back like a punch and made him lean sideways.  
Moving closer the 7 men, begun to surround Daisy and James, few of them rolling their heads on their necks, two of them cracking their knuckles and a few rolling their shoulders, ready for their attack.  
Turning his attention back to the men, his expressed changed and become almost business like, he scanned the various men, taking in their physical masses and seeing how they prepared themselves. Straightening himself but slightly stanced on his feet. Checking on Daisy who was looking ahead at the men coming closer, her arms still out-spread.  
In a split second James saw as the bald man from the left lung with his fist with an alright punch directed at him, James grabbed Daisy by crossing his right arm across her front and spun her behind him and then moving away from the punch so that it landed with a thud on the garble pylon behind them. Letting out a cry and curse in Russian, the bald man went on to his knees holding his bloody palm.  
All the men around then dived at James. The first one threw a punch that James blocked with his metal arm, then with a clicking of metal propelled the man across the platform like a rag doll, landing on his backside. The second man went to grab James by the head to put him in a head lock, but instead James kneed him the gut and turned to elbow him in the face, so that he fell on the floor. The third man decide he was going to something different by holding his fists to together above his head and he charged at James to hit him on the head, but before he could do anything James grabbed his clenched fists with his metal hand, quickly punch the man in the face and then kicked him forcefully away from so he landed on top of the first man.  
Behind James Daisy got only caught small glimpses, hearing grunts and feeling the vibrations of hits.  
From the platform which Daisy and James were nearest a train arrived, to which a well dressed man existed from the door right in front of Daisy, stopping for a moment the well dressed man took in the sight in front of him, the giant men and the fighting and a woman looking at him, behind one the man. Shaking his head the man muttered in Russian. “Christmas always makes people so crazy.” Then he got back on to the train.  
Both the fourth and the fifth men stood to the left and right of James, for a brief second they all looked at each other, the two men had their shoulder hunched, lowering their heads ready for combat, the man to the left looked itching and ready to attack. Deciding something quickly James moved himself move in the middle of the platform, Daisy close behind him, the two man moving with him. From the left the impatient man dived forward head lowered ready to ram into James middle, giving a throaty battle cry as he did. Ready for him, James grabbed the giant men by the middle, flip him over on to his back, winding him, to where he punched him knocking him out. The fifth man was just about to kick James in the face as he was position lower on his knee after flipping the of the fourth men, but James looked up, grabbed the man’s ready foot with his metal hand and threw him over his head so he landed face down and was knocked clean out.  
Now all that was left was one more man and the red haired man. Both stood next together, wide eyed and shocked, neither one could understand what had just happened.  
Standing himself up, so he was again in front of Daisy guarding her, James looked at both men.  
“Are we done?” James asked in Russian, his voice not at all tired.  
The red haired looked at James in shock, but the other looked at his friend to James for a second before charging at him. With great force but no grace he threw punches that James dodged by simply moving his head and body away, holding on to Daisy’s arm and guiding her with him. After multiple punches, the man seemed to realise that he hadn’t hit James once, so he stopped and went to throw a powerful punch at him, but James caught in with both hands, to which he pulled the man hands down, leant forward and head-butted the man several times before his eyes went crossed eyes and he flopped to the floor.  
With eyes wide open the red haired man looked at James, he opened his mouth to speak but instead he swallowed and then replied in English. “Yeah we’re done.” He voice was higher pitched and shaky.  
Straightening his coat, James took Daisy by the hand and walked the short distance to the escalator and begun to walk up, as they went Daisy saw the men, all knocked out, no blood anywhere, just all thrown around various parts of the platform. Watching them standing still from where he stood, the red haired man waited until they were gone before he went to check on his friends, glad most of his friends hadn’t seen he was the only one that hadn’t fought him.  
Coming up on the platform above, a train arrived, people begun getting off and getting on. Still holding her hand, Daisy’s kidnapper got them both on a train, just at the same time that several of the stations security and staff came running along the upper platform down to where they had just left.  
Pulling herself closer into her coat Daisy looked up at her kidnapper as the trained moved, she slide her hand out of his and into her pocket, he looked at her a moment, his blank, neither angry or upset, before scanning the train and the rest of the passengers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought putting the location into Cemetery, one where Veterans graves were, showed just how evil and secretive Hydra are/were.
> 
> Also, combating fighting-writing is a life skill that you can't use readily in day-to-day life.


	35. 35

**One Year Earlier.**  
_Washington, Rock Creek Cemetery_

The steam lifted up but left a chill in the air around them. Inside the man was strapped down held on his biceps, middle and thighs, and for a moment everything was still. Then a click click noise sounded and the strapped pulled away and the body of the man fell down on the floor with a thud and a metal clang.  
From the side two well built tall men in black uniform came over next to him and pulled him up. His head was still lowered, his hair wet and the clothes he wore similar to a wetsuit, gleaming with moisture. Both the men held him by his upper arms and begun to move him over to another side of the room to where lights came to life.  
As they moved the man Daisy looked at his right arm and gasped, he said quietly to her sister. “His arm…is he a robot or cyborg?”  
“What? Caitlin said shocked. “No, he’s a killing machine.”  
Looking at the man as he was dragged the short distance, she could hear faint words coming from him.  
Something overcame Daisy and she stepped forwards away from her sister towards the man. In doing so she could see they were putting the man into some sort of chair that had different size screens giving various different biological reading, changing as he grew nearer, all the instruments around it looked connected to hold the metal armed man down and control everything they could, it reminded her of a dentist’s chair but a lot more sinister. The two men were trying to turn the man so that they could place him in the chair. Caitlin didn’t notice at first but from behind Rumlow did and hissed Daisy’s name, causing Daisy to stop and look back at them.  
In that split second, facing back to Caitlin and Rumlow, Daisy didn’t see what happened, all she could hear was crash and crunching of bone.  
The metal armed man had sprung to life, losing his discombobulated state and propelled up from his limp state, grabbed the right man’s throat and crushing it with his metal hand, then threw the dead man across the room towards Daisy. Thinking fast the other man had gone to tazor the man with his weapons by his side, the metal armed man grabbed hold of the man’s head and smashed it into the screen’s nearest them, then he twisted the man’s head and broke his neck.  
Turning around Daisy only saw as the second men went to the floor.  
It was then she made eye-contact with the metal armed man and saw pure primal animal instinct, he was a man who was ready to kill.  
Coming around Caitlin Rumlow moved towards Daisy, reaching out his hand to her. “Daisy…come here.” He said softly as he moved ever so slowly.  
Looking at the man she could see how blue his eyes were, how the little lines on his face were scars and dents. Equally he looked at her, his gaze taking her in like a target, measuring her, an odd look of familiarity about his actions, but his gazed changed when he saw Rumlow moving and he lowered his head ready to attack.  
From behind him a third man, not as built as the other two, came from behind with a stun gun riffle and went for the metalled man’s right arm, his metal amor, which he did successfully, causing him to fall to his knees and scream in pain as the volts of electricity circulated from his arm into his body. Going in again to the stun him, the third man took a single step forward when the metal armed man was back on to his feet. With his flesh arm he grabbed the end of the stun gun and shoved it into the man’s face, putting it in his mouth and stunning him, holding on to it and releasing untold amounts of electric charge into the man, so much so his cheeks begun to spark with light inside and his body become to convolute.  
The smell of burning flesh filled Daisy’s nose.  
Rumlow took Daisy’s arm and practically picked her up and took her back to Caitlin.  
Standing and watching it all unfold Caitlin said nothing her face was blank and calm, the perfect poker player.  
Both Lomack and the goateed man moved away from their stations and went to the side by Rumlow and Rollins.  
All looked as the third man fell dead to the floor.  
Caitlin looked at Lomack as he appeared beside her. “Do you have the words.”  
His eyes popping out of his head Lomack mouth made an ‘ooh’ sound as he spun his head back to where the first two dead men were. “Its over there.”  
The metal armed looked back at all 6 of them before him.  
In another language he begun to hiss at them, he moved forward and stopped. His gaze laying upon Caitlin. His expression calmer he said something in another language to her, to which Caitlin smiled and replied back.  
For a moment they simply looked at each other.  
Then an angry grunt escaped the metal man and he begun to walk towards them, his expression murderous.  
It was then that Daisy saw for the first time fear on her sister’s face, she moved back and pushing Rumlow as she did so.  
Almost standing in front of them, ready to rain down his killing skills on them a familiar voice came from behind, slow and calm, stopping the metal armed man as he moved. It took Daisy a second to realise two things, it wasn’t in English and who the voice belonged to.  
Coming in with 12 readily armed men behind him was Alexander Pierce, his tie messier that it usually was, his hair looking as he he had run his fingers through it a few times. Though he continued to speak and he walked forward to them, he scanned Caitlin and Daisy, keeping a concerned look on Daisy.  
There was a momentary pauses as he spoke, seeming to say words, not on long sentence, as he did so, the metal armed held his head down and kept on hand on his temple, the sound he made were mild grunts.  
Alexander Pierce stood next to his youngest daughter, taking her hand in his as he said one last word.  
Before them the metal armed man looked calm, peaceful almost but more than anything ready.  
In the same language he had used before he looked obediently at Alexander Pierce and spoke to him.  
“Compliance is key.” Alexander Pierce said to the metal armed man. With a wave of his left hand, the men who had entered in with him came around him and they moved towards the metal armed man, taking him by the arms and back to the chair, the amount of men stole the view of what was happening as they took him.  
Alexander Pierce wrapped his arms around Daisy and kissed the top of her head. Still embracing her Alexander Pierce said. “Rollins, get Daisy out of here.”  
Coming away from his embrace Alexander Pierce turned to his eldest daughter and any ounce of warm and loved he had held for Daisy was gone, instead the look of absolute anger and malice filled his face. Lowering her head for moment Caitlin Pierce went to speak but was stopped when her father threw a slap clean across her face, causing her face and body to move with the impact.  
Alexander Pierce hissed. “You disobeyed me, you put your sister at risk.”  
“Father-“ Caitlin started.  
“There is nothing you can say to me.” Alexander Pierce yelled. “You are to leave for Kiev tonight and you are going to stay there until I say otherwise.”  
“NO!” Caitlin pleased, stepping forward. “You can’t have me leave now, what about-“  
“Do as you are told you spoilt child and do not argue with me!” Alexander Pierce shouted.  
With that Caitlin lowered her head and said. “Yes Father.” Lifting up her head she said. “Hail Hydra.” To which her father only scowled at her.


	36. 36

**Moscow - Russia.**  
_4,666.36 miles From New York_

The tall elegantly dressed woman in her dark padded coat walked around the apartment scanning the floor, following the marks all around, there was no reasoning to them but looking at them bought a smile to her face, she knew she was close to finding what she was looking for, after all this time she was close. Reaching out her hand she touched the beaten up old sofa in the room.  
“Where now?” Came impatience voice from behind her. “Russia is fucking freezing and I fucking hate it here.”  
Chuckling the woman turned to face him, her honeyed red hair turning more slowly than her she did. “You say you hate Russia one minute and the next you say you love it.”  
Pulling his hood off, he revealed his heavily scared burnt face, still raw and red and painful looking, the beginning of new skin growing over mismatching each other on his face, over his ears and neck, he showed now sign of feeling pain. “So…?”  
Tilting her head the woman smirked, not answering.  
“You were right…” He smiled back, his smile only reaching part of his lips, as the right side of his lip was still and lopsided. “  
“He was here.” She finished him. “And not alone.”  
Moving across the room again to the old rusted radiator on the far wall she leant down and touched the pipe which can up from the floor, to where the pipe brass of the covering of pipe was marked, where something else had been rubbing or scratching against it.  
“Daisy was here.” She told him.  
The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone and he begun to scroll and look at something.  
“There been an arson attack in a bar, one of the old Hydra hangouts.” He read. “No-one’s talking, officially, no fatalities, just a lot of ash.”  
“Hmm.” The woman said, still crouching. “The lower scum used to go to bar called Matryoshka, is that the one?”  
“The one and only.” He replied.  
Standing up, she walked over and stood in front of her burnt and heavily padded companion. “So he is chasing us and we are chasing him.”  
“My money’s on us.” He smiled.  
“You don’t have any money Rumlow.” She replied.  
“Figure of speech Cat.” Rumlow said he reached over to touch her waist.  
“Hmm.” She said, not moving away from his touch but not moving forward. “He won’t come back here, he’s done with Russia, burning Matryoshka was a sign.”  
Now the two of them were very close, their height was the same and Rumlow was holding her waist firmly, he looked like he was ready to kiss her and ready to possibly do more.  
“Get me any footage from the area surrounding the bar, I want to know what direction they went in, they haven’t been here for hours, they went somewhere else before they came back here and left.” She said firmly, giving him an order.  
Leaning inwards towards her Rumlow smiled. “Yes, Ms Pierce.”  
Both stood for a second, before Caitlin Pierce moved away to the side towards the door to leave the apartment. Left standing, Rumlow simply smirked his half smile, pulled his hood back on and followed Caitlin Pierce out the apartment.  
Just when they were coming to the outside door Rumlow reached into his pocket and pulled out a grenade and threw it back in to the apartment, to where it rolled to the corner of the room and begun to tick softly to itself. Stepping out on the street and beginning to walk down the road to where their vehicle was parked, the building behind them exploded into rubble, the inside caving in on itself and dissolving into nothing from behind them, the sound of the implosion of the building gave a faint echo for a second in the relatively unused and uncared for part of Moscow, followed by silence and then the sound of Caitlin Pierce and Brock Rumlow driving away from the scene at a normal speed, as if nothing had happened.

 

 **Verkhoyansk - Russia**  
_4834 Miles From New York._

Sleeping in a curled up foetal position Daisy slept inside of the back of the Quinjet, she had a blanket covering her and her head rested on her bag that contained her clothes, her hands were close to her, where she had been blowing into to keep them warm.  
Despite the fact that they had landed they hadn’t left the Quinjet, James had stood up and walked over to wake her up but reconsidered, knowing it better to let her sleep and instead had sat down in the cockpit sit and tried to close his eyes for a moment, to allow himself not sleep but rest. Closing his eyes he had tried to think of nothing, not thoughts about anything, no planning, thoughts caused him to feel emotions and remember, and each memory that seemed to come out was painful, painful because he couldn’t either remember them or painful because they were memories of him causing pain…to others.  
Looking out to the view in front of the Quinjet, James saw the snow beginning to fall again, so much constant snow, he wondered sometimes would it ever stop.  
A memory popped back into his head of snow falling and his running. He couldn’t remember how long ago it had been, he knew from that memory that he had been taken by Hydra earlier on, he remembered the feel of the metal arm and how cold it managed to become in the snow. He remembered he hadn’t been wearing much, a vest and pants, that he was bare foot, he remembered he had been running for his life, moving as fast as he could through the snow, which was becoming heavier and heavier. As he was running forward ahead he felt the wind change, as it become stronger in front of him, it caused him to stop just in time as he found himself standing in front of a cliff, looking straight down into mountainous drop. Standing then at the top of the cliff, he thought then about jumping, he could die quickly and hopefully painlessly, he would be free of Hydra, as he was about to move forward a electric net was thrown over his head from above and he fell to the ground as the currents run through his body, causing him to pass out.  
“Hmmm…” Came a groan from behind him that pulled James back into reality.  
Standing and turning around James found Daisy sitting up and taking the blanket off herself, she looked up to see him and begun to stand.  
“I slept.” She said, stating the obvious, but not knowing what to say.  
He nodded and said nothing.  
Looking behind him she could see the snow felling but nothing else.  
“Are we still in Russia?” She asked.  
“Yes.” James replied. With that he walked to the back of Quinjet and opened the hatch to exit, saying nothing else.  
Folding the blanket and putting it on to the floor she followed him out of the Quinjet.  
As soon as she stepped out she realised they were not far from the front a house/cabin, a old very weather worn and battered, it looked like a typical slavic wooden house, with old thick curved wood, carved and elegant but sturdy despite it weather exterior. Looking at it, it was like a postcard, hidden in the snow and trees around it, somewhere deep and far away a wizard or witch from some old fairy tale or folk tale would live, facing James she thought it a weird way it was fixing this would be the next place they would go.  
Stepping on to the snow towards the house Jame led, his feet purposeful and steady as always, Daisy following slow, unsteadily and wide eyed. Around them the snow was still falling, taking at that moment to pace itself, taking a breath and holding back. Taking another step, Daisy fell into the snow, landing on her knees, but quickly getting up again, taking another step and continuing before it happened again.  
“Damnit.” Daisy hissed, her legs were too cold and still in the process of waking up, they didn’t want to obey.  
Walking ahead, either not hearing Daisy or ignoring her, James had reached the front of the house/cabin when he turned to face Daisy walking a few steps and felling again. Mentally he rolled his eyes and swore in Russian, she was as bad as a toddler as she moved slowly.  
Getting up again Daisy saw that her kidnapper had turned to face her, his pale face and his blue eyes narrowed she could tell he was annoyed again. Exhaling she took another step forward, more slowly and didn’t fall. “Stupid snow.” She mumbled.  
From behind Daisy something caught James’ eye, in the perfect undisturbed snow and line of the trees he saw something moving, slowly, its motions paced and steady. Focusing his keen gaze he saw what it was. Looking to the left and the right he saw two more things moving, one gave a quick glaze of yellow flexer of light from its eyes.  
“Daisy…” James hissed quickly, he hands reached outwards to her. “…stop.”  
Stopping Daisy frowned and looked at him. “Stop?” She asked. “Please no more fireman picking-ups.”  
Moving towards he keep his eyes focused hers. “Daisy, you need to stay where you and not move one inch.”  
“Huh?” Daisy asked. Moving the hood off her head she said. “Why?”  
In that instance from behind her on the right she heard a deep throaty noise, a growl.  
Turning her head sideways she caught the briefest glimpses of a darkish brown fur mixed with grey, whether it was an ear or it neck, she could’t be sure, but it was enough to paralyse her on the spot.  
From a few metres in front of her James moved steadily forward, stepping sideways, silently and steadily, his hands reached out to the side to steady his body. “Stay where you, when I get near to you, don’t run.”  
With head and body straight, she nodded her very briefly, barely moving her lips she asked. “Are they looking for dinner?”  
“Yes…” James answered. “And thats they’ll get.”  
“What?” Daisy hissed louder than she intended.  
With his eyes focusing on Daisy, James let his eyes dart around them, he counted there to be four wolves there, not large, not as large of the wolves that lived in deepest Russia that he encountered before, but skilled, he knew what their movements meant and what they were doing. Looking above he searched for what he needed, what he knew would be there.  
The other side Daisy could hear more growls and the gentle sounds of the wolves feet on the snow.  
Not far from her now, a metre or less, James stopped put his hands to his side and looked directly at Daisy.  
“Walk towards me.” He said firmly.  
Though she wanted to, she couldn’t, from her left she heard a snarl from one of the wolves.  
“Daisy…walk.” James said firmly.  
Though she was ready for angry answer back to him, she stopped herself an begun to move, to which she could hear the wolves started to growl more. Looking directly at James she saw him pull out one of his guns from his side and pick it directly at her, seeing this, she stood dead in her tracks.  
“Keep…moving.” James said lowly.  
Eyes wide open she swallowed and kept moving. Mentally saying oh my god over and over.  
For just the briefest of seconds he looked away from Daisy to the side, then back to her. She was getting nearer but very slowly.  
“Daisy…” He said softly. “On the count of three I want you lower you head but keep moving to me. Clear?”  
“No…” Daisy replied.  
“Good.” James answered, leaving Daisy unsure if he had heard her or if she had spoken at all.  
“1…” James asked, the sound of the wolves growls increasing. “2…3.”  
Lowering her head she looked down to see the footsteps James had left, doing so briefly made her dizzy.  
Holding up his gun, James fired off one long quick clean shoot into the tree line behind Daisy and in front of the wolves who were gradually filling out into the open. For a second the wolves stopped, shock at the echoing sound of the gunshot.  
But then from above a freshly shot dead large hawk came, which now had it had completely blown off, landed in the pure white snow, right in the middle of the four wolves, who stood still looking at the dead animal, its blooded not spattered in the snow.  
Rushing forward, James made a grab for Daisy around the waist and part dragged and part walked her over to the house, her head still lowered down.  
From behind the wolves moved forward to eat the dead bird, not taking it back into the forest, but eating it there and then, eventually leaving noting behind but the blood stained snow which would eventually be covered up by more snow soon enough.  
Opening the door, James and Daisy stepped inside to the most perfect perfectly preserved old rustic slavic house, which from only the briefest of looks looked as if hadn’t entered into the 21st century or even the 20th century. Its furniture of brightly polished perfect dark rich wooden. The contrast of the outside to the inside was amazing. Though there was no lights lite, or fire burning, the snow’s reflective glow inside illuminated it all.  
Moving her over to the wooden chair next to a table near the fire, James placed Daisy down and then moved back to close the door.  
“What…just…happened?” Daisy asked slowly.  
Turning back to say her, James made a grimace of face she couldn’t read, clearing his throat he replied. “Wolves.”  
“Right.” Daisy said. “They wanted to eat me.”  
Shaking his head James replied. “No…they wanted to be fed.”  
Frowning, pulling her arms around herself for worth, shaking slightly she stared at him. “Fed…you fed…you what?”  
Moving over to the fire, James begun to make a start of making it come to life by putting the logs which were by the side of it on to of the old ash and burnt wood. “This cabin,” He started. “belonged to Armin Zola, I’ve been coming here for the last few months. The wolves,” he looked up her, “don’t bother me if I fed them whatever animal they can’t reach in the trees.”  
Looking at him confused. “So there like your neighbours?”  
Stopping what he was doing he looked back at her Daisy, bitting his lip for a second he thought maybe she was going to receive an angry answer but instead she given something else, a soft gentle smile that played on the corner of his lips and a reply. “Yeah…I suppose so.”


	37. 37

**Avengers Tower**  
_37th Floor_

Alone Natasha Romanoff tapped her fingers against the desk table, her neatly cut nails make a clean crisp sound against it, the sound gently musical in the silence of the 37th floor of The Avengers tower. This floor was mainly where she spent her time of late, with Bruce Banner or training, doing anything and everything to keep herself busy.  
Looking at her mobile phone she saw the time: 14.02.  
The call was late by 2 minutes, she knew back in Russia that anything late could mean life or death, things in Russia run smoothly and efficiently, there weren’t delayed or lateness, it just didn’t happen.  
Exhaling she reached for her phone when it started to buzz with life as it rang, not just any ring but one stark had given her especially just to annoy her and she hadn’t managed to get rid of yet.  
“Speak.” Natasha said in Russian down the phone.  
From the other end a gentle laugh came back and a female voice in Russia replied. “Little Pet, where are your manner?”  
Leaning against the desk cracking her knuckles Natasha said through gritted teeth. “How are you Margarita? I hope your well.”  
Again the woman at the other end gave a throaty dark laugh down the phone and answered in Russian. “Little Pet you do make me laugh.”  
“What information do you have for me?” Natasha asked in Russian, no wanting to drag the conversation out anymore.  
From the other end of the line the woman Margarita made a noise similar to turning pages or folding paper before she answered. “There’s been a big fire in Moscow, in a place where your Hydra boys used to play, one of their haunts, completely destroyed.”  
“There aren’t ‘my’ Hydra.” Natasha corrected plainly and without any anger, she knew that this was why the other woman hah said it.  
“Any case.” The continued in Russian. “There been a lot of unrest, lots of people saying things and asking things.” For a moment the woman was quiet, seeming to wait to hold back information for dramatic effect, which Natasha knew she would do. “There’s been talk that it was him Little Pet.”  
“Who?” Natasha asked, though she knew the answer.  
“The Soldier…The Winter Soldier.” Margarita answered back in Russian slowly, dragging out the word winter as she did.  
Asking plainly and unimpressed Natasha asked in Russian. “That all? Nothing else, just a load of drunk assholes/mu'daks saying they saw him?”  
“No….” Margarita answered back quickly. “He was there for sure, there was footage.”  
“Footage?” Natasha asked shocked. “Impossible.”  
Laughing slightly the woman at the other end answered. “Maybe before, but now he’s alone, with no KGP or Hydra to clean up after him.”  
“Did you see it?” Natasha asked slowly.  
Not saying anything Natasha felt her phone vibrant against her ear, meaning she had a text message. Taking it from her ear she looked down to see there was a pending image to open sent from Margarita. Tapping on it to open she saw a black and white grainy image/outline of the figure of man standing outside of a doorway, a shorter figure in front of him, scanning it, there was no defining details about the figure, nothing.  
“That is all that’s left.” Margarita voice in Russian came from the phone.  
Placing it back to her ear Natasha asked. “Have you seen the footage?”  
“No.” The woman replied almost sadly. “Everything was pulled and I could only get them from a very dangerous source.”  
For a moment Natasha wanted to ask who, but knew better, asking her old ‘friend’ to much was only unwise but unsafe, Margarita had the tendency to play game with people for her own amusement, though amusement was the wrong to use for what she did.  
Gritting her teeth again Natasha said in Russia. “Thank you for your help Margarita.”  
Laughing softly the woman at the other end asked. “When are coming back to Russia Little Pet, its the time of year now for the wolves and I’m sure you would love to play with them…you were always their favourite.”  
“No…” Natasha answered back in English. “I’ll pass.”  
Looking up from the desk she saw Bruce Banner standing in the doorway before her, leant against the frame, waiting for Natasha to finish her conversation.  
“I’ll have what you asked for sent within the next hour.” Natasha continued in English.  
Before Margarita could say anymore Natasha took the phone from her ear and ended the call.  
Like a school child Bruce Banner gave a small smile. “Hey…any luck?”  
Thinking for a moment Natasha debated whether to tell Bruce, the information she had been given but less than full and less than reliable, there was nothing from it to say Daisy was there, she knew telling Bruce would send him off out to Russia, into danger for what was more than likely nothing. Though the information had cost nothing more than giving Margarita a thousand from Tony Starks billions, telling Bruce that could hurt it would cost far far to much.  
“There was something, but I think its just smoke.” Natasha said. “I don’t think its anything that help find Daisy…but there was a possible sighting in Moscow, someone destroyed a bar where Hydra members used to go.”  
Walking over to the desk Bruce sat down, his face showing a hundred thoughts and questions. “Was it the him?”  
Exhaling Natasha leant back in her chair. “I don’t think so Bruce.”  
“Why? He might-“  
“Bruce,” Natasha said standing up and walking around the desk. Sitting on the desk table so she face Bruce, she reached out and touched his hand comfortingly. “The Winter Soldier would not have gone to some bar in Moscow and set it on fire…he’s a ghost and shadow, anything like that it too easy for it to be him, there would be no reason for him to.”  
Looking up at Natasha, Bruce looked deflated. “Hmmm…”  
“I’m sorry.” Natasha said, stroking his hand comfortingly.  
Turning away from her, Bruce looked down at the ground.  
“Thank you.” Bruce said, still looking down. “I appreciate what your doing.”  
For a moment Natasha felt a shiver of guilt, she wanted to help find Daisy, she wanted to get her back to Bruce and to safety but she didn’t want to find the Winter Solider, the man had shoot at her twice, he had tried to kill Steve Rogers twice and he…was the Winter Solider and he was part of history that needed to be forgot and buried.


	38. 38

**One Year Earlier.**  
**Hydra Location.**  
_Washington_.

The metal armed man was in another room where he was being checked over, he was calm and still with a silent menacingness to him. His eyes looked ahead at all times, focused and aware of everything but saying and doing nothing. Sat watching in another next room watching him through a one way mirror was Daisy with Rollins and another member of the strike team she had seen a few times but didn’t know the name of. Two hours ago her sister had been sent away and she had no idea where that was, in a way she glad, she knew that Caitlin didn’t believe that Daisy was completely on the level with what Hydra was doing or was about to do…which wasn’t what Daisy needed.  
“Flower?” Said Alexander Pierce as he walked him, he no longer looked angry and frustrated, instead he looked calm and composed, ready for work.  
“Yes Dad?” Daisy said as she stood up to attention.  
Smiling Pierce extended his hand as a gesture for Daisy to follow him out the room. Doing so, she was followed by Rollins step for step. Walking out the room, she thought they would be leaving and going back to Shield or home or to where Caitlin was but instead Pierce walked them to the door which lead to the room where the metal armed metal was. Inhaling her breath as she held onto her Father hand, she watched as he opened the door and stepped in before her.  
From the room Daisy had been opposite she hadn’t realised how brightly light the room was, the tint of the glass mist had have made it softer and less painful to the eyes.  
As soon as the metal armed man caught sight of Alexander Pierce walk into the room he stood up to attention, like a soldier ready to be given orders. Flesh arm and metal arm were by his stands, his back straight, his feet aligned and pointed ahead. Around him the doctors and physicians moved to the side away from him, cautiously and carefully.  
Holding her hand, Pierce walked both of them in front of the metal armed man.  
With a proud small Pierce nodded the metal armed man.  
“Soldier.” Pierce said in a proud stern voice in front of him. “Do you know your name?”  
“No.” He replied emotionlessly simply.  
“Do you know where you are?” Pierce asked him.  
“No.” He replied simply.  
“Do you know what you are?” Pierce asked, a small twinkle in his eye as he did.  
“My mission is to erase and extract all and everything that threats the future.” He eyes focused ahead on the one way mirror so he could see his reflection and Daisy could see it reflected from his eyes as she looked up at him. “I was chosen out of millions to give up my life and identity to become the perfect most efficient soldier there ever was or ever will be.” With that he stopped, the words he spoke were cold and sounded as if they had been repeated hundred if not thousands of times before, what he said was disturbing and sad, the fact he said these things, like a robot, as he stood there with his metal arm, made Daisy wonder if he was not an actual robot.  
Smiling broadly Pierce squeezed Daisy hand. “Good. You are have turned out far more magnificent than we could ever have hoped for.” Reaching out his hand, he gripped hold of the man’s flesh shoulder and gave it a squeeze, from behind the doctors and everyone else in the room jumped with surprise at the humane action given to the soldier . “Soon son, we’ll be rid of all our enemies and your work will be celebrated and known to all.”  
Simply nodding, nothing else, no smile of happiness or any emotion the man simply looked at Pierce.  
Looking down at Daisy, one hand holding hers and the other holding the soldier shoulder. “Soldier…” He smiled more sweetly. “This is my other daughter Daisy, she is the one you were told about.”  
With a flash his eyes flew down to look at Daisy, they scanned her up and down, taking her in, before he looked back at Pierce, a determined look on his face, as if he knew something important and significant had just happened.  
Continuing to still hold his shoulder, Pierce gave another squeeze and said. “There will be no more memory wipes for you Soldier, once we’re ready, you will begin the next phrase. Is that clear Soldier?”  
“Yes.” He replied. “Ready to comply sir.”  
Looking at the man, Daisy felt overcome with sadness, that man, who ever he was, the perfect soldier, no thoughts, no feelings, a living being but a living being with no emotion and a living being who only lived now to be told what he was do. How long had he been like this? This frozen man…how long had he been this? Had he known Pierce when her Father was younger? How was he able to survive all that time when he frozen? What was the next phrase?

 **Verkhoyansk - Russia**  
_4834 Miles From New York_.

This time she knew there was sometime different.  
Every other time they had landed or arrived somewhere her kidnapper behaved in a way that constituted that he had a plan and was preparing but this time, there was look on his face that she hadn’t seen before. Was it because of the wolves? Was it because of the men in the subway? Was it because of Father Pavel and the little girl? Was it the winter?  
Sat next to the fire, she couldn’t remember the last she had felt so strangely calm internally. Maybe it was because the last year she had been worried what could happen, and now because something had happened she felt calm as it had happened and there was nothing she could have done. It could be the feeling of the fire’s warmth on her cheeks and how it etched into her body, pushing away the cold and feeling giving her comfort and at peace.  
Outside the snow was falling softly, a gentle pitter patter of soft harmonies, there was no wind outside to whistle around the trees or the breaks in the house, which there were probably many, inside the the house was quiet, neither of the two talked or even breathed loudly.  
Daisy didn’t want to ask anymore questions, she didn’t want to know anymore, so far even knowing what she did didn't help her or make her feel at ease, not knowing was better. She knew she wasn’t going to be killed and her kidnapper wasn't killing anyone else around them…injuring quite a few but that seemed to be a skill he used with little effort, he could injury someone severely with his thumb without meaning too, which Daisy thought must make it hard to shake hands with people if that was case, worrying that you’ll hurt someone if you tried.  
Smirking at her silly thought she pulled the throw she had around herself closer.  
“What's funny?” Said James from across from her sitting on a wooden stool close to window, the light reflection of the white snow against the glass onto his face managed to make his face paler but not to the point where he looked sickly but more angelic somehow.  
Still facing the fire she thought about not telling his but decided she could. “Just wondering how on Earth you shake hands with someone without snapping their hand into ten pieces?”  
With a chuckle he leant back and replied. “Its harder to try to button up a shirt.” Looking down his expression changed, becoming a little more shadowed. “I haven’t shaken anyone’s hand for a long long time.”  
Not turning from the fire Daisy thought it better to change the subject. “It would be nice if we had some marshmallows or something for this fire.” As if replying the fire made creakling noise as the wood continued to burn.  
Silence fell on them for a moment, neither one wanting to talk.  
“Daisy?” James said in a soft voice, similar to voice he had used when talking to Dominika.  
Not turning from the fire Daisy replied. “Yes?”.  
“I wanted to scare you when I first took you.” James said, his voice level and even, there seeming to appear a soft New York accent, intermixed with Russian, the way he finished and started words begun to stand out more to Daisy's ears as he spoke and she listened. “So you’d stay with me out of fear and not try to run away.” A small smile creaked from the corners of his mouth and chuckle escaped. “But…you’re a pain in the ass you’ve tried to escape every chance you’ve had.”  
Turning her head slightly in his direction she gave a dry sarcastic answer. “Sorry about that.”  
Briefly looking back at the snow than at Daisy James continued. “She’s been watching you longer than I was and I’d only just started when I took you.”  
Frowning Daisy asked. “Who?”  
“The Hydra.” James said, saying the with a undertone of anger to his voice. “Your sister.”  
Pulling the throw so it wrapped around her even more Daisy shook her head and asked. “Why? Why does she want me…and why are you trying to help me?”  
Standing up James stood next to the window and kept looking out, somehow Daisy had the feeling that he wasn’t looking out the window for the current view, but because he was mentally seeing something else in his mind. Continuing his voice was still soft but pained this time. “You were created, like me, by Hydra, but unlike me you weren’t changed, you were to be changed when the time was right and you were supposed to be part of the plan for Hydra to find The Red Skull…your Father wanted me one to protect you in doing so.”  
Looking at him as he stood there, she couldn't move, she was trying to understand what he was saying.  
“You…” James continued “are the daughter of Alexander Pierce and The Red Skull and…” he stopped then suddenly.  
Daisy eyes were wide open, she found herself standing up from where she sat. In a confused and panic voice she asked. “And what…?”  
This time he looked back to and his face was sad and worn and he spoke. “And my genetics…they used the coding from Zola’s serum to try to interweave my genetics to match your’s and make us *Familiars...to make me bonded to protect you, serve and find you.”  
Thinking rotationally to what he saying, Daisy could only shake his head and him. “That’s not possible…I can’t be the daughter of two men and you be my…thats medically impossible…this is…is science fiction, it theory, its-“  
“The work that Hydra had been working on since they created me in 1944.” James said quickly. “This was all part of the plan, something that you and I were created for…you were always going to be created at some point…”  
“So…” Daisy stammered. “what-what I am…am I weapon like you?”  
Shaking his head James answered. “No…you were the channel to connect to the Red Skull and the known and unknown Universe out there.”  
Her knees feeling weak, Daisy slowly went back to sitting on the floor, she kept on eyes on James as she did so, her face was palest white and the bottom of her eyes were silvery wet with tears ready to fall. In a sad low voice she said, almost to herself. “I thought I was just going to be some Hydra agent like my sister…just a mindless killing agent for Hydra…I couldn’t understand they kept treating me special…I thought it was because of who my Father and sister were.”  
“No.” James to her, his voice soft. “You were the next phrase.”  
Ever so slowly a tear begun to roll down her cheek where she sat, it fell on to her lap, followed more quickly by another and another. “I’m a creation of a Nazi Science Terrorist Organisation hell bent on world domination…no wonder I could never make ballon animals.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *A Familar:  
> A familiar (or familiar spirit or familiar animal) is an animal-shaped spirit or minor demon believed to serve a witch or magician as domestic servant, spy and companion, in addition to helping to bewitch enemies or to divine information.


	39. 39

One Year Earlier  
Washington.

 

Laying in her childhood bed, Daisy mind run wild with thoughts and emotions, how was all this real and possible? How could her whole life changed so quickly, so basically everything was lie and she was nothing but a puppet…and that soon millions of people were going to die.  
Sitting up in bed, Daisy scanned her room, it was room frozen in time, everything was as it was when she left, everything was still in its place, she knew Renata would come in once a week to dust and once a month to change the sheets, even if no-one had slept in them and she wasn’t due back for another 6months, she would routinely do this.  
That smell…the smell of Rose and lavender was what reminded of her home and Renata, and her room then and there was filled with it, it felt so good on her nostrils but it wasn’t the same…nothing was.  
In her pyjamas she walked to her door and looked down the corridor at her sister’s door. It was closed and empty, still she hadn’t seen and heard from her sister since her Father had ‘disciplined’ her for awakening the Winter Soldier. Daisy was sure Caitlin was fine, her Father wouldn’t do anything to her…but still…where was she?  
That next morning Daisy woke early, she looked at herself in the mirror, the dark rings around her eyes forming from the lack of sleep from the last few days, her skin paler and more drawn.  
Crap. She thought. How was she supposed to convince her Father and Hydra she was part of them if she looked like death…which was ironic when they were all about killing and death. Using an old trick she seen her Mother use, she pinched her cheeks to bring back colour to them and she put more eyeliner around her eyes to hide the darkness, which slightly worked.  
At the breakfast table her Father was dressed and reading, reading from his iPad and eating, unhappily, muesli and orange juice. Walking in Daisy froze, the man at breakfast table then was her Dad, the carefree look and the way his blonde hair fell to one side, the way his tie was untied and loose around his neck and his top button undone, so not to get anything on it before he even left the house. For a moment Daisy felt like hugging him and saying to him to stay like this, forget about Hydra and his plans, stay as he was…her Dad.  
“Morning.” Daisy said briskly as she moved over the breakfast table and sat down, she gave her Father a kiss on the head before she sat.  
Alexander Pierce gave his daughter a toothy smile, his lined handsome face showing genuine happiness. “Morning Flower, how are you this morning?”  
Smiling and showing teeth Daisy said her lines. “Happy and ready for the day.”  
“Good.” Pierce said putting down his iPad and pushing his soggy muesli aside. “I’m just going to make some phone calls in my office and then we’ll be off. I want you to come meet come people today, there’ll working on something that’s going to help us.”  
Pierce begun to stand. Daisy stood up like a shot after him. “Dad, can I come with you to your office?”  
Frowning Pierce asked. “You don’t want breakfast?”  
Giving a stiff smile Daisy said. “I’m not hungry Dad, I’ll get something later.”  
“Hmmm.” Pierce said unhappily. “You should eat something.”  
Still giving the same smile, she said nothing.  
Shrugging Pierce smiled and reached out his hand for her. “Okay Flower, come with me.”  
Internally Daisy gave a sigh of relief, but instead she kept her composure, taking her Father’s hand and following him to his office. For years Alexander Pierce’s office had been the one place that no-one but he went, it was filled with books, artwork, the typical man’s office, everything behind a old fashioned red oak desk, with a leather top and elegant decor around it, the office at the back of the house looked out on to the garden behind, a beautiful lash green view, that because it was situated where it was made it look as if it looked out on a forest instead of their garden. Walking in, Daisy took note of some of the books on the shelf, it being years since she had looked at them, noticing only now that beyond the classics her Father had books based on the occult and a mixture of books which had subversive titles, all beautiful placed together on the shelf, intermixed with the art figures and art figurines near them, looking at them she knew then that there was a purpose and point to how and why they were the way they were. Walking in behind her father, Daisy looked down at the carpet and she noticed it was red and stretched out underneath the desk was image of something, something which as she moved forward was familiar…it was the Hydra symbol which she seen many times over the last few days, but something else.  
Noticing the way his daughter looked down at the floor, Pierce gave a smile. “Its the Tree of the world, its from Red Skull’s private home in Finland, managed to buy it from a Hydra fanatic.”  
Looking up her Father, Daisy smiled. “Its amazing.”  
Taking a seat, Pierce begun to start to connect those he needed to via his translink on his desk, putting in codes and numbers that Daisy couldn’t see. As he did there wasn’t even a dial tone or any ringing before a voice came through. The voice that spoke simply said. “Hail Hydra.” To which her Father replied. “Hail Hydra.”  
Alexander Pierce begun to speak in detail to the other person, seeming to want to organise the matter of disposing of the bodies once Project Insight was complete and to begun connecting Hydra bases internationally and using the Hellcarriers on to other countries and continuing using the algorithm there, there next place being in Europe before there could be any chance of uprising or people escape off the grid.  
“Does Russia have the numbers yet for how many will die?” Pierce asked casually.  
The voice on the other end replied coldly but enthustically. “The number is great, but mainly those are of internationals that do not matter. We already have secured a plan to dispose of the bodies.”  
“Good.” Pierce said. “Hail Hydra.” Then he ended the call to the other person.  
Straight away her Father made another call, he flashed her a smile across his desk. Daisy clenching her fists and toes, trying to hold back on her emotions, having heard in details the things her Father was saying about killing millions of people…she wanted to scream but couldn’t, she had to remain composed.  
Leaning back in his chair as the call before it was answered but by a croaky male voice. The express on Pierce’s face become thoughtful with a hint of aggression. “Hail Hydra.” The voice said straight away, though the voice was robot and cold.  
“Hail Hydra.” Pierce answered back with.  
Pierce pressed his lips together in thought. “Tell her she’ll be contact shortly.” Exhaling, Pierce creaked his knuckles as he looked ahead. “I need you to make sure that Fury, Hill and Rogers will be in the correct location once Project Insight is in place.”  
“Of course sir.” The voice said, still dispassionately. “I will make the arrangements so they will die in the first wave.”  
“Good. They must be dealt with as soon as possible.” Pierce said firmly.  
“Yes sir.” The voice replied. “Sir, I have made the adjustments as your requested. The person 223789 is no longer on the…”  
“Thank you Zova.” Pierce said quickly, sitting up.  
“If you would like me to-“ The voice continued.  
“No!” Pierce said firmly. “You are not to alter my command, is that clear?”  
“Yes.” The voice said slowly.  
“Good.” Pierce said. “Now go to work, we have 4 more days before Hydra rises again.”  
Saying no more, Pierce ended the call and looked at Daisy, a fresh new happy smile on his face. “Okay Flower, ready?”  
Nodding Daisy stood up, her legs felt wobbly, as a faint feeling washed over her. Seeing his daughter on steady on her feet Pierce jumped up and walked over to her. “Whats wrong Flower?” His voice filled with Fatherly concern.  
Thinking quickly, she wanted to say she felt faint from everything she had just heard her Father saying, how she wanted to throw up there and then, but instead she smiled, straightening her up. “You were right Dad, I could have some breakfast.”  
Alexander Pierce gently rubbed his daughters arm as he stood in front of her. “Got get something to eat, we have a long day ahead and you’ll need your strength.”  
Daisy gave her Father a nod and begun to leave his office, her legs still wobbly and her heart pounding. Walking out she left out a exhale, the tension inside of immeasurable. Her walk to the kitchen was slow, but she made it, she stood in front of the counter and begun to breath in and out quickly, counting to ten as she did so, slowly she felt better but still sick to her stomach.  
“Bubabla?” Came a voice from the side of her.  
Lifting her head Daisy found the concerned face of Renata Meiser beside her, standing taller than her and smelling of oranges and lavender Daisy felt overcome with emotion. A tear fell down the side of her face as she looked at Renata and she reached over and practically jumped on her into a hug.  
With the instinct of a mother bear, she embraced Daisy, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her close, making a hushing and cooing sounds as she did.  
Sobbing as she held onto Renata, Daisy was lost for words, what could she say to her? How could she tell her anything? The only thing that Daisy could think then and there were two words, which she whispered. “Help me.”  
Hearing the sad desperation in her voice, Renata’s expression changed, then and there was something inside of her was kicked into action, she had known something was very wrong when Daisy had come back from being gone, she had taken one slow and she had known. Most people would want details, most people would ask for an explanation but not Renata, having worked in the Pierce household and having seen and heard many unexplainable things, having seen how Alexander Pierce and his eldest daughter behaved, having watched Daisy Pierce grow, she knew things weren’t right for a long time but she could was never able to do anything. With her arms wrapped around Daisy, Renata gave their embrace an extra squeeze.  
From his office Pierce begun to walk towards the kitchen, calling Daisy name as he come,to which Renata and Daisy could hear as he came. Moving away from Daisy quickly, Renata made it looked as if she taking something out of the cup broad, Daisy moved towards the fruit bowl on the counter, grabbing an apple and bitting into it.  
Stepping into the kitchen Alexander Pierce stopped when he saw Renata. “Morning Renata.” He said, his voice plain, his focus being on Daisy.  
“Morning Mr Pierce.” Renata said as she moved around the kitchen, seeming to put things away and move them around, making herself look busy without doing anything.  
Turning to face her Father Daisy gave a smiled as she chewed on her apple. “Feeling better Flower?” Pierce asked.  
Nodding Daisy said nothing, worried her voice might betray her.  
“Let’s go shall we?” Pierce said, turning keenly out of the kitchen to the door.  
Daisy walked past Renata as he left the kitchen, she couldn’t look her in the eye. Renata moved quickly towards Daisy and gave her a mobile phone, pushing it into Daisy palm. Leaning close to Daisy’s ear she whispered. “Phone me on this when you can…when your Father is not there.”  
Daisy nodded, wanting to hug Renata, instead she continued to move out the kitchen to the front door after her Father. As she went Renata Meiser watched her, her face filled with concern and worry but a look of determination. Inside her trouser pocket the phone left a heavy weight but a weight that carried hope.  
Again Daisy and Pierce drove towards the The Triskelion building, this time there seeming to be a hub of activity happening. Watching the people around them as they entered the building Daisy couldn't help but think how many people in that building were Hydra and how many were going to die. Inside the elevator up to her Father's office on the high level, Daisy had an idea, something which she hoped would work.  
“Dad?” She asked in a sweet voice.  
“Yes Flower?” Pierce answered as he played his phone reading something from it.  
“Can I see the Hellicarriers later?” Again her voice sweet and eager.  
Looking up from his phone Pierce smiled. “Oh course sweetheart. Soon as i’ve finished my meeting upstairs we can go down.”  
“Can’t I go by myself?” Daisy asked in a worried sweet voice. “I know which way to go.”  
Pierce looked at Daisy, for a moment his expression unreadable, for a moment Daisy thought he would say no and he might know that she was up to something, but instead he smiled, his face looked happy and proud, as if this was something wonderful. “That would be great sweetheart.”  
Pierce left the elevator when it reached his floor, telling the elevator function to go to the lower levels, giving Daisy a kiss on her forehead before he exited, telling her to come back when she was finished.  
Standing in the elevator Daisy’s mind raced, she held on to the phone in a pocket in one hand, wanting desperately to pull it out and use it. Walking out the elevator she again was met with the same sight of the three machine of death and doom in front of her, the sight even more frightening now she knew more details first hand of the plans ahead. Looking around her Daisy could see anyone watching her from the platform she stood on, below her people worked, various Quinjets coming and going, or being worked on.  
Exhaling she took out the phone, she went through the number and phone Renata’s name, she realised then that the phone she had been given was Renata’s cheap international phone, one for which she used a pay as you go chip, this was more than likely the one she kept on her, the other was the phone she thought was the phone her Father had bought her, one that gave Renata access to the internet and all manner of things the housekeeper didn’t care for.  
After one ring Renata answered the phone, her voice breathless and concerned. “Where are you?”  
Exhaling, holding the phone tightly against her ear and in her hand, trying to look as normal as possible. “At The Triskelion…Renata…Dad and Caitlin…there a part of something that’s going to kill millions-billions of people.” Her voice was breaking as she spoke, but she managed to stay controlled as much as she could.  
From the other end Renata made a throaty noise, something which was similar to a grunt and a exhale, a sound of exhaustion and frustration, which was noise she often made when talking about Daisy’s Father bad eating habits and Daisy’s older sister. “I knew there was something not right with you…there was something not right, I knew it.”  
Inside Daisy wanted to laugh, finding it funny that despite what Renata had just been told about Alexander Pierce planning mass genocide on a global scale and Renata could only focus on the fact she had been right that something had been wrong with Daisy when she had come back.  
Voice still shaking Daisy whispered. “I don’t know what to do…they have to be stopped.” She looked out at the sight if the Hellcarrier before her.  
Renata from the other side was quiet for a moment thinking. “What can I do Bubabla?”  
Looking out thought, she didn’t know the names of who was and wasn’t Hydra, only three, three to which her Father had been very keen they be dealt as soon as possible. Hill, Fury and Rogers. Which were Nick Fury, Maria Hill and Steve Rogers, those people were the only ones she knew she could trust, the only ones she could say with absoluteness that they were not involved with Hydra and what Project Insight was for.  
“Renata…” Daisy said in focused and ready voice. “Go to Dad’s office and get contact details for the name Nick Fury.”  
Working faster than Daisy had thought possible Renata came back to her within a few minutes, having gone into Pierce’s office and gone through his things. “Daisy.” Renata said breathlessly. “I have numbers and contact details, can you write it down?”  
“No…no…” Daisy said quickly, looking around as he walked, trying to looks as if she wasn’t out of place. “Tell them to me and I’ll remember.”  
“Okay…” Renata said, she read out the details all starting different, all using various types of mediums. Thinking fast as she heard them she tried to think which one would be most effective, realising which was best she knew she had to send a message, or a code to him which only a spy would understand.  
Think think think. Daisy thought desperately. How could she tell Fury what was happening, he would have to know that the Hellicarriers were there, of course, he was the director, how could she plant a seed that would get him to realise something wasn’t right, what was the one thing that her Father and sister had spoken about. The asset? Russia? Whitehall? The Lemurian Star? Strucker? The Red Skull?  
What was the one thing that need to happen for Project Insight to work? What was it that her Fatherhood been ensuring was in progress…The Lumurian Star, the ship that was carry the information from the satellites for Project Insight.  
A realisation throw into her head and gave her clarity, she knew what she had to do, but if she did it she would have to make her escape as quick as possible. Staring at the Hellicarrier Daisy held onto the phone tightly and said. “Renata, I’m going to do something and I need to leave as soon as I can.”  
“Okay.” Renata said sternly. “I’m packing a lunch for you.”  
Inside Daisy’s heart melted for the love she felt for Renata and the fact at what she was going to do.  
Going back to her Father’s office, she was about to enter into the elevator upwards when she met by Brock Rumlow who was just about to leave the lift, his expression serious and formidable, which quickly changed as he met Daisy. Wearing his strike gear and looking ready to jump into action, he stepped back inside.  
“Your Dad just sent me to look for you.” Rumlow said as he pressed the button for her Father’s floor.  
“Oh?” Daisy said casually as she leant against the back of the elevator, so her back was away from the view of the Hellicarriers, having had her fill of looking at them she couldn’t stand to look at them anymore.  
“Yeah.” Rumlow said folding his arms as he leant against the wall looking at her. “He thought something had happened to you.”  
Smiling Daisy maintain her cool. “Happened to me? What could possible happen to me?”  
Lifting his brow Rumlow replied in a serious tone. “Anything.”  
“I can take care of myself.” Looking Rumlow directly in the eye, holding on to her smile as she did so.


End file.
